National League 1 - 2015-6 Wk 17

Another short (and late) preview at the end of a week where work interfered inordinately with rugby - the cheek of it! Albion swap one seaside setting for another as they travel up to Fylde in Lancashire (Lytham St Annes, actually - the posh bit of Blackpool. Cue Dan Collier in a Kiss-Me-Quick hat?). This week saw Josh Beaumont - literally one their sons, picked for the England 6 Nations squad. They must be feeling a bit like we did a few years back when Dan Ward Smith looked like breaking into the national team...

Given our head coach's penchant for music of a certain era, I wouldn't be surprised to have heard Boston's "Don't Look Back" playing on the bus yesterday. The team will certainly be happy to put last week's loss to Hull behind them. It wasn't one of those really toxic defeats that have a way of undermining confidence long-term, but it certainly was a missed opportunity to cement our position and image in this division. With Jake Murphy returning as skipper (- and with no adverse reflection on Herbie) Albion must focus on this game alone and return to winning ways.

Fylde are currently considerably down on their previous two season finishing positions and have have been tagged the nearly men of Nat 1. Recent form has seen them "close but no cigar" against sides we have overcome. A 34 all draw against Blackheath (away) would say they're not as fragile as us overall and should therefore be approached with caution. (Do I end up saying this just about every week with the teams in this league...?) They clearly have ability, but haven't been able to make it tell at the final whistle. This is a label which could be equally applied to us, but the league table would say we've been better/luckier overall at pulling off the wins.

As previously stated on this board, Fylde are a team who like to playing a running, ball in hand game - almost to a fault. Too much rugby is another way of saying not enough in their collective psyche. The online opinion, after backing us heavily last week now says we are 3:1 to lose. Personally, I reckon there is enough resolve and adaptability in the current set-up to carry for Albion to carry the day and I'd go with a 1-4 win.

The weather forecast is for some light rain with a warm-ish SE breeze, so at least the lads will be spared a re-run of last Saturday's shocking conditions. (Hopefully the sleet predicted for the evening won't be arriving early...)