National 1 Prediction league 2022 week 26

Posting a day early this week as away for the weekend!

So another week on and another step nearer to us finding out who is going up and who the lucky two are to go down.

So what did we learn from last week’s games?

Well Caldy look the real deal, Sale never say die for the 3rd week running pull it back past the 80 minute mark,City Slickers got themselves back in the race, with a late try. Cambridge are now hanging on the the coat tails awaiting a slip, but as I have said before, that error of judgement of not coming away from Caldy with a point, turning those kicks down at goal, looks to be very very important in the bigger picture and a massive error of judgement, we now have both Cindy and Rams who are really at last chance saloon this week.

The draw of £500 win bonus per man has still not proved enough for a Club win, that's £20k they have saved the last 2 weeks, since that enticement was put on offer and made to the players! Leeds result was massive as was the point that Albi got at Caldy. Moseley came back in overtime to ease any issues and Chinnor as good as sent TJ’s to National 2 and secure their place next year, I would expect Cambridge to finish that job off this week, before TJ’s have a nice back to back road trip of DMP and Plymouth to enjoy.

So what do I think? well Park v Caldy, Caldy v Sale look big big games to me. I still think that loss column of Caldy’s will be a telling factor. Even if they lose one of the above, that will only be 4 losses, that I’d say would be good enough to go up and you know what, fair play to them, along with Cindy they have the smallest budget in the league by far. At the bottom, well TJ’s have gone as for the other spot, well Blackheath are now good odds to fill it, let the games in hand by others around them play out and I think the league will paint them sitting second to bottom. They have played so many more games, they have in the last 3 weeks lost to every side around them, TJ’s, Leeds and  Plymouth and losing is a habit. On the road to Taunton this week, then a run in that you would not want if you were at the top and they certainly are not!

Bishop's Stortford v Cinderford     1-5  Stortford to battle but it is last chance saloon for Cindy. I see the Cindy pack rolling up their sleeves and taking control of this game, to say we are still in the fight. Stortford have Club and TJs to come, both at home 8 points from those games and they are playing Nat 1 next year, so a bonus point out of this game will be a bonus and not a game they have targeted I’d say.

Leeds Tykes v Caldy  1-5 Leeds to battle, like Stortford in the game above but be outgunned. Their result last week was massive and now with games in hand can pull themselves away. But this Caldy side has the prize in sight and will know what they have to do to get over the line. I cannot speak highly enough of what this “little club” on the side of The Wirral can possible do, it has gained the respect of every person in this league, it shows money is not the be all and end all.

Plymouth Albion v Chinnor     4-1 Chinnor safe after lasts weeks result. Albi as we saw at Caldy will play, that point they gained will be important at the end of the season. Albi will want this more than Chinnor as the  Chinnor season is done and over 

Rosslyn Park v Birmingham Moseley   1-4   Yes, I'm going for an upset. My reasons are. Moseley a different side with the go forward Nagel Taylor gives them from 8, just look at the last 3 results. If he is not back at Gloucs having done his month, I fancy them to roll the City slickers over. They are on a mini roll having won the last 3. City slickers at times just think turning up is enough on the plastic when they are at home and I think they will be looking down the road at Caldy and take their eyes off this.

Sale FC v Darlington Mowden Park    5-1  DMP came close last week and had every chance to beat Cambridge, I came so close to getting that correct, but no cigar as they say. Sale play and play and play, but I think they get this over and done before the 81st minute, which they have required recently. Sale will still be in the race come 5.00 on Sat 

Taunton v Blackheath  5-0 Taunton score for fun. Look at the points they have racked up the last few games. I think at home against a side looking down and out, this could be a big score. I do not see Blackheath getting anything out of this, I could well be wrong, but they look like a side that has no interest, down and out and looking at relegation after the last 3 results against sides around them. Taunton have a much better attacking force than any of these with the greatest respect to TJ’s Plymouth and Leeds, so I think they will have much to much in the tank.

Tonbridge Juddians v Cambridge 0-5. This could be a big defeat. Cambridge know they need to score points and come away with all 5 if they are to hang around the top. TJ’s, (apart from Blackheath game) have averaged conceding 46.5 points per game for the last 6 games, oh to be the defence coach. Thats not a one off beating by somebody, thats nearly 50 points a game average, that stat does not lie. Yet they still kick the ball away from 10 for over 70% of the time they get it and wonder why they concede so much, when they are giving free ball away to any  side they play, to just run it back. I see Cambridge running away with this and I think we could well be above that 46.5 point average if it stays dry!

That just leaves Rams with a week off. They could well, come Sat night be out the race as they have been just too inconsistent this year, the gap at the top being just to wide to close as we are running out of games

As always stay safe and these are my thoughts and PC police please chill. There is enough going on in the world at present without worrying about a bit of National 1 tongue in cheek predictions.