Pertemps Bees v Earth Titans

Third placed Earth Titans travel to fifth placed Pertemps Bees looking to maintain their excellent start to the season.

The Bees have also made a good start to the season with three wins and a draw in their five league matches to date. They picked up an opening day draw at Bedford Blues and their only loss have come at home to Leeds Tykes in a close match going down 23-20.  In their other home match they were 35-17 winners over Exeter Chiefs.

The Titans have lost just the once this season going down to a defeat against Exeter Chiefs 27-22. They have though already had wins at Midlands’s sides Coventry and Moseley to go with home wins over Otley and Waterloo. 

Last season this was a closely fought affair with the Titans sneaking it 27-26 and they did the double over the Bees with a 58-20 home victory.

Prediction: Interesting game here but will go with away win by eight points.      

Coventry v London Welsh

Eighth placed Coventry entertain 12^th placed London Welsh with both sides looking to get back to winning ways.

Coventry have won one and lost one this season at home, they beat Moseley by a point two weeks back having lost their opening home match of the season to the Earth Titans 22-17.

The Welsh have won two out of three on the road with victories against Leeds Tykes and Waterloo whilst going down to a defeat at Plymouth 20-12.

The Welsh are the only side in the division without a bonus point of any description.

Last season this fixture went the way of Coventry 26-18 but the Welsh were 32-13 winners at Old Deer Park.

Prediction:  Coventry to win by seven points over the Welsh.    

Doncaster Knights v Cornish Pirates

Second placed Doncaster Knights entertain seventh placed Cornish Pirates looking to maintain their excellent start to the season.

The Knights have won four out of five with their only defeat a narrow 14-13 loss to leaders Plymouth Albion.

At home this season they have already overcome Newbury and Nottingham and picked up away wins at Sedgley Park and London Welsh. They have also been amongst the tries with four four try bonus points with flanker Jason Forster leading the way with eight tries.

The Cornish Pirates have won all three of their home matches but on the road have come unstuck in both matches narrowly. They were beaten by three points by Waterloo and at Headingley against the Tykes lost by just a point 21-20.

Last season in this fixture the Pirates were 40-20 winners and with a 43-26 win at Kenwyn Hill did the double over the Yorkshire side.

Prediction:  Home win for the Knights over the Pirates by six points. .   

Exeter Chiefs v Plymouth Albion

Leaders Plymouth Albion travel to ninth placed Exeter Chiefs looking to maintain their 100% start to the season.

The Chiefs have made a mixed start to the new season and are some 11 points behind Albion in the league table.

At home this season they have won one and drawn one against Earth Titans and Coventry as they start a new chapter in the clubs history at their new ground Sandy Park.

Albion have won five out of five and on the road have already had big away wins at Waterloo and Otley 45-9 and 36-3 respectively picking up the four try bonus point in each of those victories. Something they have failed to at home in their three wins.  

Last season in this fixture there was just the one score in the match with Albion leaving with a 7-0 win and with a 35-13 win at Brickfields did the double over the Chiefs.

Prediction:  Albion to win at Sandy Park over the Chiefs by five points.     

Newbury v Nottingham

Second bottom Newbury play host to 11^th placed Nottingham looking for their second win of the season.

Newbury need to win these type of home matches otherwise they are in for a long hard season at the wrong end of the table.

At home they had two tough matches to start against Leeds Tykes and Bedford Blues and were beaten on both.

Their one win so far this season came at Old Deer Park where they beat the Welsh 21-13.

Nottingham also have just the one win this season a 63-17 home win over Waterloo.

On the road they have lost at Otley and Doncaster and will see this as a good opportunity to get their first away win of the season.

Last season this was a high scoring affair which Newbury sneaked 40-37 but when Nottingham were at home they came out 35-17 winners to make it honour even. .

Prediction:  Tough match to call this will go for Newbury home win by six points.     

Otley v Moseley

10^th placed Otley entertain 13^th placed Moseley looking for a third win of the season.

At Cross Green this season they have picked up a win against Nottingham 37-27 but were well beaten by the league leaders Plymouth Albion 36-3.

They did manage an away last week when they overcame a half time deficit to pick up all five points on offer against Sedgley Park.

Moseley have just the one win to their name this season but it was against fourth placed Bedford Blues at home.

On the road this season they have lost both their matches narrowly at Coventry but they were well beaten at the Cornish Pirates.

Prediction:  Will go with Moseley to snatch away win by four points.   

Waterloo v Bedford Blues

Fourth placed Bedford Blues travel to 14^th placed Waterloo looking to make it four straight wins.

Waterloo have just the one win to their name this season with a 19-16 home win at Blundellsands against the Cornish Pirates. In their other two home fixtures this season they were well beaten by Plymouth Albion and picked up a losing bonus point against London Welsh.

Bedford after managing just a draw and a defeat in their opening two matches have picked up to record three straight wins and climb to fourth spot in the table.

On the road they have played twice losing at Moseley and then picking up a win against Newbury. They have picked up the four try bonus point in four of their five matches to date this season.

These two sides last met in the 2000/01 season when the Blues did the double over Waterloo who were relegated that season. They won 20-11 at Blundellsands and 37-9 at Goldington Road.

Prediction:  12 point away success for Bedford Blues at Blundellsands.     

Leeds Tykes v Sedgley Park 

Sixth placed Leeds Tykes entertain bottom of the table Sedgley Park looking to make it five wins in a row.

Leeds Tykes after an opening weekend loss at home to London Welsh have won four in a row to climb the table and are now within striking distance of the leaders.

At home after losing to London Welsh they have played just once at home beating the Cornish Pirates narrowly 21-20.

Sedgley Park were really disappointed last Saturday not to get their opening win of the season against Otley at Park Lane. They led at the interval 20-12 but were 23 point losers by the end.

They have played just the once on the road this season going down 41-7 at Bedford Blues. 

First ever league meeting between the two sides.

Prediction: Comfortable 15 point home win for Tykes.