Bedford Athletic Rugby Club

We have now reached the half way point of the season. This always provides a useful point for reflection – a case of looking back over what might have been and forward to what might yet be.

This season we appear to have four teams forging away at the top and indeed there may be a case that only two of these are in serious contention for honours come May. The league leaders Derby have lost one match only – to their closest rivals Kettering, however they have bounced back from that to open up a five point gap at the top of the table. Kettering (although they have beaten Derby) have had three unforeseen setbacks, away defeats to Bedford Athletic and Loughborough and last weekend a home defeat to Ilkeston. However five points is one bonus point win so they will go into the New Year confident of overhauling Derby again. Paviors and Ilkeston make up the chasing pack having lost four games each. However in Paviors case those four games have been against the top four sides, indicating they may struggle to make an impression in the second half of the season. Ilkeston on the other hand have only tasted home defeats against Derby and Towcester and away against Matlock and Market Rasen and with a few more bonus points may challenge.

In mid table come the sides with impressive home records but who are a little less consistent away. Matlock have only lost to Derby and Towcester at home (as have Ilkeston) but have been poor on their travels winning only at bottom side Coalville and Bedford Athletic. Towcester who have also only lost twice at home (to Derby and Kettering) have won their last four and are motoring in the right direction. The final side in the top half of the table, Market Rasen & Louth have only lost to Paviors and Derby at home and can rely on their home from to keep the progressing. Peterborough and Loughborough in 8th and 9th have both won 6 out of 13, although for Loughborough this has seen 4 of these wins at home and in the case of Peterborough they have lost their last 5 games and will be looking to turn that form around to start moving back up the table.

The bottom 5 sides consist of those who seem able to win only at home and not even then all of the time. Bedford Athletic have won 4 out of 7 home games (and none away) but due to nine bonus points including five for narrow defeats they sit four points clear of the rest. Nuneaton Old Edwardians also have four home wins against Peterborough, Loughborough, Leighton Buzzard and Bedford Athletic and sit two points clear of the relegation zone. In that zone with nineteen points come Spalding and Leighton Buzzard with 4 and 3 home wins between them. Finally come Coalville with only two wins all season and who currently are the leagues’ most out of form team having lost six matches in a row. It seems that relegation will be fought out between the bottom four sides although if Bedford Athletic do not start to pick up points they may be dragged into this battle.

So working from the bottom upwards it would appear that to escape relegation the benchmark position at the end of the season is 40 points. To climb into the top half of the table the likely benchmark is 64 points based on the 32 that Market Rasen currently have. To contest the prizes at the end of the season it seems to be the case that a points total in excess of 100 will be required.