West go into the league game following their own emphatic 67-0 win at bottom club Peterlee and Horden. One odd fact is that West also scored 67 points in the previous league game against Guisborough, while Medicals also scored another 32 points against Rockcliff in their previous outing against Rockcliff (wonder what odds John Joyce would have given on a 67-32 West win?).
So, two in-form sides will meet in a game which could go a long way to finalising league positions.
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As things stand, and with eight games to go after this one, West are 16 points clear of the Tynesiders - stretching that to a 20 or 21 point lead would surely end the visitor's promotion hopes. Only one goes up this season. Sunderland are in third place some 17 points behind West. However, they do have a game in hand, at struggling Darlington, and will host West next month, so could feasibly reduce that margin to seven points with two victories. |
The first encounter in Heaton was a close one with West eventually winning 28-22. They were in control for much of the game but missed a few try scoring opportunities allowing Medicals to grow into the game. It led to a tense final few minutes with the final stages played in the visiting 22.
Unsurprisingly, there's not many changes apart from the bench where players are being given the chance for a full 80 minutes with the Stags. However, the bench looks one of the strongest of the season with Tim Blades, Aidan Jackson-Smith and Alex Barker waiting in the wings.
Jake Linighan does return in the pack and he will start in the back row this week alongside the mercurial Chris Atkins and try-scoring Jay Corbett. The backs will be unchanged.
Some interesting combinations in the Stags with Liam Pennick starting at No 8 and Stu Waites coming in at scrum half alongside the in-form Zac Southern.
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Firsts v Medicals Kick off 2.00 |
Stags v Novos IIs Kick off 2.00 |
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| Matt Siddle | 15 | Dom Cox |
| Will Hilditch | 14 | Jordan Painter |
| Davy Heckles | 13 | Jake Tennant |
| Ollie Connolly | 12 | Martin Todd |
| Lewis Scott | 11 | Matty Tyers |
| Sam Heron | 10 | Zac Southern |
| Ryan Painter (capt) | 9 | Stu Waites |
| Jack Angus | 1 | Craig Hadwen |
| Alex Johnson | 2 | Ross Wood |
| Adam Hutchinson | 3 | Adam Coates |
| Will Corbett | 4 | Cameron Allison |
| Ollie Webster | 5 | Jonny Wray |
| Jake Linighan | 6 | Liam Liston |
| Chris Atkins | 7 | Charlie Kay |
| Jay Corbett | 8 | Liam Pennick |
| Tim Blades | 16 | Liam Larkin |
| Aidan Jackson-Smith | 17 | Jacob Parker |
| Alex Barker | 18 | Glynn Pickering |
| Dann Quinn | ||
| Ryan Godfrey | ||
| Matty Baggs | ||
| James Tyers | ||
| Michael Parker | ||
| C |