New Year’s report

With the National League One season just past the halfway mark and all teams having caught up on matches lost to the weather, it seems like a good time to take stock of how the land lies.

The first observation is that this year results are far harder to predict than previously. There is no runaway leader and no team adrift at the foot of the table. Two sides have notched up over fifty points and have exchanged the top spot. They are the Thames Valley pair of Chinnor and Rams, though Titans’ West Country rivals, Plymouth Albion, are having a very strong season and occupy third place.

The second observation is that the teams promoted last year from National Two are enjoying different fortunes. Sedgley Park are in 4^thspot, Blackheath firmly in mid-table in 8^th but Leicester Lions are bottom. The East Midlanders are no pushovers, however, having triumphed at Veritas Park and also recorded a win over high-flying Rams.

At the foot of the table Leicester are joined in the relegation zone by Taunton and Sale. The Cheshire side’s lowly status is every bit as surprising as was their comeback from 32-14 in the Somerset fog to win32-56 in December against Titans. Having been promotion candidates last season, they have endured a tough start, losing many players to Sale Sharks whilst the World Cup had drained their professional outfit of first team regulars.

Titans may need to aim at overhauling the points tally of other sides beyond Sale if they are to preserve their status in English rugby’s third tier. The likes of Cinderford, Bishop’s Stortford and Darlington Mowden Park have targets on their backs but the good news is that things are so close that a run of three or four victories could lift the county town club into the division’s top half.

What is for sure is that the team will need the full vocal support of the crowd at Veritas Park to lift them in the five remaining home fixtures. The bumper pre-Christmas crowd certainly brought an extra dimension to the derby with Plymouth Albion and, who knows, maybe helped carry the Titans to a memorable 29-24 victory?

Whilst it would have been good for Tony Yapp’s players to have had another game following that one in order to keep the positive momentum flowing, they will have had the chance to recharge the batteries over the festive period and recover from some of those niggles that players at this level accept they must sometimes play through. They will also be boosted by the return of their coach from his duties with Blundell’s School. What is important now is that a united front is presented for the second half of the season.

Bring it on! Come on you Titans!