This weekend our 1st XV travel to Cleckheaton for their North One East game, 2nd XV travel to Pocklington, 3rd XV host Beverley 2nds and the 4ths host Beverley 3rds.
Cleckheaton RUFC 1st XV v Driffield 1st XV, Sat 09/03, KO 3pm.
Driffield head to Cleckheaton still looking for the few points that will ensure their survival in N1E next season. Once again we need to move on from the disappointment of losing in the final play against Scarborough last week. Last week’s game was a tale of 2 halves. With a strong breeze, Scarborough used it well in the 1st half to turn around 3 ties to 1 up. Driffield likewise in the second half, to be level in the final minute. Until Scarborough got the ball and scored. Full report here: https://driffieldrufc.com/2019/03/04/driffield-22-27-scarborough-saturday-2-march-2019/
Cleckheaton are sitting 4th from bottom, 4 points ahead of West Leeds, 6 ahead of Bridlington and 6 behind Pocklington. They got a much-needed win last week, with a 14 – 46 win at Pocklington. That followed a home loss to York 20 -24 and a loss at West Leeds 33 – 5.
In our 1st meeting this season, Driffield won 38 – 26 : match report here: https://driffieldrufc.com/2018/11/22/driffield-38-26-cleckheaton-saturday-17-november-2018/. The season before Cleck won at Kelleythorpe with a last minute try and conversion, then Driffield won at Cleck at the back end on the way to securing our play-off spot. We have met Cleckheaton on quite a few occasions over the past few seasons : they spent time in the league above 2 seasons ago and have been at higher level in the past.
Looking at the league, at the bottom it keeps getting closer. Consett, Brid and West Leeds still sit in the bottom 3, with Cleck next up 4 points clear. 6th – 10th are covered by 5 points, and are still looking for at least one more win to be safe. Bradford and YMCA are safe and not looking at promotion, whilst Morley and Scarborough try to catch Morpeth. Full league table here: https://www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-results/competitions/northern-division/2018-2019/group/26457#/table.
It might just be a bit clearer this weekend. West Leeds host Brid, a must-win for both teams. Consett travel to Scarborough. If West Leeds win and Consett don’t get anything, they will be relegated. Big West Yorkshire Derby as Morley travel down the road to Bradford. Pock will be trying to gain security as they travel to YMCA, Malton host Percy Park, York travel to Morpeth.
Driffield 1st XV to face Cleckheaton
- Alessandro Zavatti
- Guy Brumfield*
- Mark Blenkinsop*
- Lyndon Warkup*
- James Dinsdale*
- James Morris*
- Rob Mewburn* ©
- Adam Brankley*
- Tom Sowersby*
- James Watts*
- Sam Furbank*
- John Soanes*
- Gary Stephenson*
- Ben Dinsdale*
- Harry Jackson*
- Sam Robson*
- Oliver Borman*
- George Mewburn*
- indicates players who have come through our Junior section
Good Luck to all