National league 1 results round up round 26 weekend 29/30th

weekend 29/30th March 2013.

Results 29/30^th March

Blackheath                 13            32       Macclesfield

Blaydon                      32             34      Cinderford

Esher                           32             19      Rosslyn Park

Fylde                           23             21      Tynedale

Loughborough St      27             27      Richmond

Old Albanian              50             12      Cambridge

Sedgley Park                 7             62      Ealing Tfs

Wharfedale        postponed           Coventry

The big question before these Easter weekend matches was how many would survive the weather. In the end it was only an early call off at Wharfedale, where there seemed a shortage of shovels in the Dales as they were due to face Coventry. Macclesfield took full advantage with a bonus point win at Blackheath to put Wharfedale in the relegation spot, albeit with a game in hand.

The Good Friday game at Blackheath proved a good omen for the visitors Macclesfield as they saw off a home side struggling for form. Now on a run of 7 wins Macclesfield bonus point win saw them leapfrog Wharfedale and out of the relegation zone. Effectively the game was over by half time with the confident Macclesfield side going for the jugular, helped in no small measure by some woeful home tackling. The bonus point was added early in the second half and despite late red and yellow cards they held on for a deserved win. A win that heaps more pressure on Wharfedale and even starts to suck Tynedale and Coventry into the mix.

It was contrasting fortunes at Sedgley Park as the Tigers were mauled and toothless by a rampant Ealing side, whose 10 tries included a double hat trick by Phil Chesters, emphasising the quality gap between top and bottom. A win that effectively gives Ealing the title as they only need one more win from their 5 games, and likewise seals the fate of Sedgley Park as one more loss will confirm their relegation from this league. Six conversions from Tom Wheatcroft puts him back in the lead as leading points scorer for this league.

Ealing’s closest rivals Blaydon had a match to forget as they lost at home to Cinderford. Finding it too easy leading 25-13 early in the second half, some changes allowed the always dangerous Cinderford backs back into the game and their three second half tries sealed it for them.

This loss left only Esher  with an outside chance  of catching Ealing as they also had an bonus point win over local rivals Rosslyn Park. A win that takes Esher into 2^nd place above Blaydon.  Flyhalf Luke Daniels had another influential game keeping the scoreboard ticking over with his conversions and penalties as the more powerful home side ran out deserved winners.

The least surprising result was the 8 tries Old Albanian put over an already relegated Cambridge side. Once again dangerous centre Terry Adams was MOM with his overall game and hat-trick of tries. A win that maintains Old Albanian chase with Fylde over 5^th place, in their first season in National league 1.

Fylde just kept their nose in front of OA with a narrow victory over visitors Tynedale, whose recent form had started to move them away from the danger zone. In the end it was the goal-kicking of Chris Johnson which proved the difference with a last minute penalty to win the game, Fylde’s 5^th win in a row.

The final game saw a draw between Loughborough Students and Richmond, with both sides matching each other with tries, conversions and penalties. A dominant Richmond side were leading 27-13 when the Students snatched the draw with 2 late converted tries. An occurrence which is no surprise to onlookers this season.

After next week’s fixtures we should have a clearer idea of the two of the relegation spots but the third could go down to the last weekend. On assuming that Ealing will be promoted their place from the Championship looks like a straight fight between Jersey and Doncaster, with the Knights being slight favourites for the relegation. Promotion to this league appears to be Stourbridge and Worthing Raiders, with the third place being a playoff between Hull Ionians and Henley; although I must stress with still 4 or 5 games to go final places might change.

Tom Little

Coventry Rugby press office

31^st March 2013.