Previews National League 1 Saturday 4th May 2013.
By Tom Little.
May 2 2013
Fixtures 4th May:
Cambridge v Wharfedale
Cinderford v Old Albanian
Macclesfield v Fylde
Sedgley Park v Loughborough Students
Two key games in this penultimate week of catch up games. It is crunch time in the battle to avoid the third and final relegation spot, between Macclesfield and Wharfedale. With both sides on 57 points but Wharfedale having a game in hand, the easiest scenario is that any sort of win for Wharfedale and loss for Macclesfield would see Macclesfield relegated and technically no need for the one remaining outstanding fixture between Wharfedale and Coventry on the 11th May to be played.
It gets more complicated if the results are reversed or even draws when there will be the need for the Wharfedale v Coventry fixture to be completed. On the face of it Wharfedale must be favourites to save themselves as they as they appear to have the easier fixture away to bottom side Cambridge, whilst Macclesfield have the more difficult fixture albeit at home to well placed Fylde.
The other two fixtures see Old Albanian say farewell to their iconic player manager James Shanahan at Cinderford, who will be sorely missed as he moves to Plymouth Albion, whilst Loughborough Students say farewell to a large proportion of their side as they travel to relegated Sedgley Park. A win for Cinderford would see Coventry down into 10th place.
Both Old Albanian and Loughborough Students have done well in their inaugural season in National League 1, but whether they can maintain this progress next season remains to be seen.
Tom Little
Coventry Rugby press office in Paphos
2nd May 2013.
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