Sat 22/03/25

[Differ Lid]

When you look at the fixtures over the last few weeks and what is to come, it really does show how brilliant the league has been this season. Whoever earns promotion and whoever manages to avoid the drop will certainly have had to work for it this year.

Predictions this week aren't easy.

Heath Vs Alnwick
With Heath still having an outside chance of promotion, and Alnwick's results not as strong on the road I think it must be home advantage that wins here.
Heath Win

Sandal Vs Cleckheaton
Cleckheaton have now secured the Yorkshire Cup final place, they surely put focus back onto the league campaign. Sandal currently on the worst run of form of any side in the league, and not out of the woods yet with regards to relegation. Tough game to call but going for a narrow away win.
Cleckheaton Win

Scunthorpe Vs Blaydon
Any other season the team sitting top vs 2nd bottom would be a dead certainty who would win at this point of the season. But given Scunthorpe's recent form and losing 3 games since Christmas combined with Blaydon's new signings this could be a tense game for both sets of supporters. Going for Blaydon's survival charge to have more desire than Scunthorpe's promotion push.
Blaydon Win

Selby Vs York
The result of the return fixture looked rather one sided, but something has changed in Selby since the Christmas break. This will be the biggest game of the season for Selby, and to welcome York I'm sure this will be bumper crowd for the club. I think a York side with little to play for will come unstuck against a Selby Side fighting for survival at home.
Selby Win

Ilkley Vs Driffield
Ilkley have managed to get themselves to safety with 2 games to spare. Final home game of the season will no doubt have the home side keen to put on a show and play the brand of rugby we have become accustomed to seeing from them. Driffield will need to dominate set piece and restrict the home backline from having to much clean ball. Just the one point needed for the Woldsmen but think they will get a few more then that.
Driffield Win

Percy Park Vs Huddersfield
With Blaydon taking on Selby for the last game of the season, Percy Park find themselves in a position where they know they need at least 1 win and some bonus points from the final 2 games if they are to survive. I'm sure they will get themselves a bonus point or 2 here but can't see them getting the win.
Huddersfield Win

[Pristine Shorts]

Couldn't agree more, Differ Lid - it's been a remarkable season and it isn't over yet !

Heath v Alnwick - I also think home advantage will be the difference, but a point or two for Alnwick. I'm sure Heath don't want to go up anyway.

Sandal v Cleckheaton - I suspect Cleck will be sharper than Sandal, but the Wakey boys will want to salvage something from an increasingly poor season. Cleck to edge it, but a vital point for Sandal.

Scunthorpe v Blaydon - this could be a cracker. Scunny will hand the promotion place to Huddersfield if they don't win this and Blaydon's recent investment will have been well spent if they get a win here. But they won't. Just the four for Scunny though.

Selby v York - a good local derby with lots to go for, at least for Selby, who must win. With more to play for, I think they will too, though perhaps too late to avoid the drop.

Percy Park v Huddersfield - more desperation stakes here. I didn't particularly rate Huddersfield a couple of weeks ago, but they'll certainly be up for this one. A full five pointer, with maybe one or two for PP.

Ilkley v Driffield - at least the weather will be better than the away fixture, which was biblically awful. The Dalesmen will want to bow out with style for their last home game and Driffield no doubt would want to get their own point, rather than rely on others losing. Should make for an entertaining game anyway. Five points for Ilkley and two for Driff !

[Kellythorpe]

The following to win-
Heath, Cleck, Scunny, Selby, Huddersfield and Driff.

[Dark Arts Advocate]

Heath Vs Alnwick
Heath have only lost at home twice season and that was to the two teams above them in the league. So I cant see anything other than a home win. Alnwick have been one of the form sides since Christmas and I expect them to get something out of the game.


Sandal Vs Cleckheaton
This is a game that neither side will be looking forward to, in my opinion. Sandal probably want the season to end, given their last victory was on December 14th 2024. But they need something from this game to be mathematically safe. As I can only see another massacre away at Huddersfield on the last day of the season. Anything other could see both PP and Blaydon squeeze past them with an unlikely 10 point maximum haul for both of them from their last two fixtures.
So Sandal home win is essential, with Cleck probably partially distracted by the distant Cup final.

Scunthorpe Vs Blaydon
Now this is the match of the day, for me. Both need 5 point wins and whilst this would have been an odds on home banker for most of the season, the arrival of the Mowden cavalry at Blaydon maybe enough to inflict a damaging and probably fatal blow to Scunny's promotion investment.
I anticipate that the vitriolic Scumthorpe supporters to be at their drunken foul mouthed best in an attempt to support their team. But I think Blaydon may shade this in a high scoring game.

Selby Vs York
Before the Blaydon influx of semi pro's, I hoped that Selby would survive in this league. I fully anticipated a very vocal local support cheering the local boys to potential safety at sandhill Lane.
I do think they will get past York if they can get enough possession, with York dragging themselves across the finish line and nothing to really play for in the league.
But even with an obvious confidence building 5 point win, I am not sure they will have enough to go to Blaydon on the last game of the season and win.
So a Selby win if York repeat the lack of cutting edge in attack that has been all to often this season. But it could be tight and go down to the wire.


Ilkley Vs Driffield
Driff will scrape through the league this season but the Kelleythorpe faithful will be more than a little disturbed by this seasons outcome. So with both virtually safe a mutual close win either way will ensure Driff's survival and will likely see both DOR's looking to the money men to build for next season.
In truth a dead rubber so who really cares, other than the respective supporters.


Percy Park Vs Huddersfield
PP sudden upturn in form also seems to have coincided with the DMP meltdown?
PP have on occasion this season found a performance or two to show they have some fight in their dog.
They are going to need that in abundance as the pro team of the league rolls into town.
It could be close and potentially fatal to both their seasons ambitions if results go against them.
PP face what on paper appears the easiest of the tasks on the last day of the season at Driff, but for that to count for anything they need a big result against Hudds.
I cant see anything other than a convincing away win for Hudds who seem to have timed their charge to the top perfectly if Blaydon inflict damage on Scunthorpe.

[Pristine Shorts]

DAA - Ilkley are already safe and Driff just need a point.

[Rugby Badger]

Heath v Alnwick
Can't see past a home win here. Both teams don't really have anything to play for and Heath usually strong at home.

Sandal v Cleckheaton
I feel Sandal may shade this due to the fact they need the points and Cleckheaton don't really have anything to play for sitting comfortably in mid-table.

Scunthorpe v Blaydon
Agree that this is match of the day. On
Paper looking at top v 2nd bottom you would say Scunthorpe but Blaydon's form recently suggests they will not be travelling to make up the numbers. Still going for a Scunthorpe win but only just.

Selby v York
I feel Selby will win this one just for the fact that they need the win and York don't really have anything to play for - Similar to the Sandal/Cleckheaton game.

Percy Park v Huddersfield
Both teams need the win for different reasons but feel Huddersfield will be too strong here taking the promotion hunt to the last game of the season!

Ilkley v Driffield
Again both teams not really got anything to play for so going for Ilkley just because of home advantage.

[Differ Lid]

Ilkley Vs Driffield
Driff will scrape through the league this season but the Kelleythorpe faithful will be more than a little disturbed by this seasons outcome. So with both virtually safe a mutual close win either way will ensure Driff's survival and will likely see both DOR's looking to the money men to build for next season.
In truth a dead rubber so who really cares, other than the respective supporters.

I will give a nibble. As I'm not sure why anyone at Kelleythorpe would be disturbed.

9 regular first team players from last season are missing this season.
3 in the national leagues, 3 living and playing in Australia, 2 long term injuries, 1 moved out of the area.

Tell me another side in the league that could lose 9 regular first team players and remain competitive without throwing money at the situation?

I think everyone at Kelleythorpe will be incredibly proud of how the squad have carried themselves this season.

16 of todays squad through the Junior section, which has been a fairly standard occurrence this season.

Doesn't really sound disturbing to me.

How's the 2nd team holding up at Shipton Road? Now that's disturbing.

[Differ Lid]

Tough loss for Driffield at Ilkley, but a day which guaranteed Regional 1 rugby next season.

Driffield had the majority of possession in both halves, but to often struggled to find a way through a determined Ilkley defence, with the Woldsmens attack looking fairly 1 dimensional.

Ilkley with the much higher Penalty count, (probably would of had a yellow card on a different day for consecutive penalties, they were put in a warning twice but the card stayed in the pocket) Driffield with the upper hand in set piece so on paper everything pointed towards a day that Driffield should have put Ilkley to the sword and scored a few more tries. But they didn't do enough with what they had to really threaten Ilkley.

Ilkley were clinical with the attacking opportunities they had and took the scores very well combined with great work rate in defence. Magee looked just as good at 13 as he does at full back, and the new 15 Ilkley has is as much of a threat in as Magee, quality player that I'm sure they will be keen to keep hold of for next season.

[Dark Arts Advocate]

I am told, Selby were unfortunate about an hour before the kick off, when the heavens opened and a deluge fell on Sandhill lane.
Which meant the York pack were very much to the fore.
The game was very close and did go down to the wire and could have gone either way.
I am pleased that Selby got something out of the game and have given themselves a chance of surviving on the last day of the season.
Not sure what happened to the Blaydon revival at Scunthorpe?
Predictable that Hudds would get comfortably past PP.
So congrats to sandal and Driff for securing their league status and down to the wire it is, at both the top and bottom of this league.

[Pristine Shorts]

As expected, an excellent game at Stacks Field yesterday, with Driffield with most of the possession right from kick off and superiority in the forwards. However, Ilkley's tackling was magnificent all afternoon and they looked far sharper in the backs.

Ilkley scored with their first attacking move, somewhat against the run of play, then again on the half hour,giving them a 14-0 lead. But then the penalties came and it was 14-6 at half time.

Another pen to Driffield was converted and then finally, the forwards' effort got them a try, converted to make it 14-16.

Ilkley's backs then took charge again, scoring another two converted tries, making it a bonus-point 28-16 lead. The last score came when another Driffield penalty hit the post and bounded back into play. Ilkley unwisely tried to run it out of their 22 and a loose pass to the winger was intercepted for Driffield to score under the posts to set up a rousing last 10 minutes.

That gave the visitors the bonus point they came for and Ilkley's defence held out to the end. An entertaining match for everyone.