Heavensgame.com casts its eye over this weekend's National League One Round 6 matches.

Coventry v Bedford

Coventry will be looking to build on their success against Sedgley Park on Sunday as they welcome Bedford to Butts Park Arena.  A last minute try from Tom Slater handed Coventry a narrow 30-27 victory and the Midlands club now go into Friday night’s game in good form having won their last two contests. 

However, they host a Bedford side who currently lie second in the National League One table after collecting four victories out of five.  Bedford suffered their first defeat of the season as they were beaten narrowly by 26-23 at home to Exeter and the Blues will be looking to return to winning ways and put pressure on Leeds Carnegie at the top of the table.

Prediction: Bedford Win

Exeter v Sedgley Park

Fourth place Exeter go into Saturday afternoon’s clash with Sedgley Park in good form after they narrowly edged past Bedford at the weekend and they have clocked up a trio of victories in succession amounting a total of 128 points in those three wins. 

Director of rugby Pete Drewett will be hoping his West Country outfit can maintain their blistering attacking form and push on towards the promotion place.

After back-to-back defeats against Coventry and London Welsh, Sedgley Park will be hoping to pull away from the lower end of the table but they will be without their leading points scorer Phil Jones. The influential Jones has been ordered to stay on the sidelines for a few weeks after suffering concussion against Nottingham a fortnight ago.

Prediction: Exeter Win

London Welsh v Leeds Carnegie

London Welsh will face a tough test on Saturday afternoon as they host table-toppers Leeds Carnegie at Old Deer Park. 

The Dragons have had a good start to the season and lie in sixth place, even though they have only lost once all season and boss Gerard Davies is hoping to name an unchanged side from the weekend’s narrow 25-24 victory at Plymouth Albion.

Leeds Carnegie, who were relegated from the Guinness Premiership last year, have had a near perfect start to this year’s campaign as they have picked up 24 points out of a possible 25 and have scored a massive 204 points in the opening five games. 

The Yorkshire club trounced bottom club Manchester 57-0 last weekend with new signing Pete Wackett scoring two tries on debut and with the likes of ex international star Henry Paul in their squad they will be hoping to coming away from the Dragons with nothing less than a win.

Prediction: Leeds Carnegie Win

Manchester v Cornish Pirates

Bottom club Manchester will be desperate to get their first win of the table as they welcome Cornish Pirates to Grove Park. 

Manchester were hammered away at Leeds Carnegie and have only got a solitary point from the opening five league games and languish at the foot of National League One.  The North West club have only managed  to score 64 points in the league and have leaked a massive 256 points, so they will be hoping to put Leeds nine-try annihilation behind them and finally notch a their first victory.

Cornish Pirates come into Saturday’s clash on the back of a 31-20 defeat at home to Nottingham and will be looking for speedster Marika Vakacegu to show his attacking ability again after the full-back scored a hat-trick in last weekend’s defeat at Nottingham.

Prediction: Cornish Pirates Win

Newbury v Esher

Newbury Blues have suffered a difficult start to the season and face an Esher side that have also only won once in their opening five games.

After a disappointing 37-9 away defeat at Doncaster at the weekend coach Phil Harris will be hoping his Blues side will bounce back with a bang and move away from the lower half of the table.  Harris is likely to make some changed for Saturday’s match after his side could only manage three Gareth Griffiths penalties.

Esher also come into the game on the back of a crushing 59-32 defeat at Rotherham and have not won in their last three games it will be a titanic tussle as both teams look to move up the league and claim their second win of the season.

Prediction: Newbury Win

Otley v Plymouth Albion

Newly-promoted Otley have found it difficult in National League One and have not picked up a win in their opening five games.  They host a Plymouth Albion side who currently lie ninth in the league after picking up two wins in the campaign so far.

Otley put in their best performance last weekend when they were beat 36-26 away at Moseley and the Yorkshire club will be hoping their home advantage can see them clock up their first success of the season.

Albion suffered a narrow 25-24 defeat against London Welsh at the weekend and coach John Roberts will be hoping that they can return to winning ways and push towards the top half of the table.

Prediction: Plymouth Albion Win

Rotherham Titans v Moseley

Rotherham Titans go into Saturday’s match with Moseley in top form after running in eight tries in a 59-32 demolition of Esher at the weekend. 

It was the first victory for the Yorkshire club who have struggled with life in National League One, so they will be hoping to name an unchanged side and looking to pile on the points again to improve on their current 12th position in the league.

Moseley bounced back from a crushing 70-10 defeat against Exeter a fortnight ago with a 36-26 win at Otley last weekend and will be looking to put back-to-back victories together as they look to record their fourth victory of the campaign and put pressure on the six clubs above them.

Prediction: Moseley Win

Nottingham v Doncaster

Third place Nottingham welcome fifth place Doncaster to The Bay as they look to build on Saturday’s 31-20 victory at Cornish Pirates.

Nottingham have won their last four games in the league and have only suffered the one defeat in the league, which was on the opening day to leaders Leeds Carnegie.  Nottingham will be hoping that David Jackson will put in another scintillating performance after the fly-half scored 11 points in last weekend’s victory over the Pirates.

Doncaster have a similar record as Nottingham and have only lost once in the league and lie a single point behind their hosts in the National League One table.  Doncaster breezed past Newbury last weekend with a comfortable 37-9 victory and will be hoping that they can overtake their opponents in the league and put pressure on Leeds Carnegie at the top of the table.

Prediction: Doncaster Win

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