National League 1 - 2015-6 Wk 19

Back at home again after the long haul up to Lancashire, Albion welcome Coventry back to the Brickfields for the first time since 2010. In spite of the closer proximity of the Gloucestershire clubs in Nat 1, this game will have more of a derby feel for home fans. The West Midlands club shares a whole lot more of our long and short term history and  there's a bit of a needle element too. At the away fixture back in October, Coventry claimed the victory with a try that didn't wholly convince the travelling fans (- and then England got shown the door from their own World Cup...). So something of a score to settle.

Touted as one of the promotion candidates at the start of the season, Coventry who are probably the best supported team in the league, have failed to fulfill that promise. Their form has been all over the place resulting in a current placing of ninth with eight wins from 18. Like us, they let Esher run all over them, they've lost to much lower teams in the table, but still were able to hold visiting Richmond to a 21 - 21 draw at home last week. It's stating the obvious, but pulling off a double over us would be a healthy tonic for them to get their campaign back on track.

Albion will be much encouraged by the turnaround performance at Fylde last weekend. Superior attitude and fitness carried the day in challenging conditions (again!). If Coventry have been variable across the board, our form at home is the big problem for us. With a decent crowd (which should be a whole lot bigger...), Albion seem too comfortable on their own turf, take a while to get going and fail to show enough killer instinct when it really counts. Today, with conditions a lot more benign, they must produce a big performance to show the home support (and themselves) that they are a team who can make it to the top quarter of this division (or is that already beyond their control?). Whatever my personal misgivings, I think they are capable of pulling off a max points win today.

Here's the full fixture list:

Sat 23 Jan

Hull Ionians v Fylde   14:00   Brantingham Park

Loughborough Students v Cinderford   14:00   UoL Stadium

Wharfedale v Henley   14:00   The Avenue

Hartpury College v Blaydon   14:30   College Stadium

Blackheath v Rosslyn Park   15:00   Rectory Field

Darlington Mowden Park v Ampthill   15:00   Northern Echo Arena

Plymouth Albion v Coventry   15:00   Brickfields

Richmond v Esher   15:00   Richmond Athletic Ground