The League Weekly writer thinks leaders SIDDAL will be too strong at home for visiting WATH BROW HORNETS and that WEST HULL will return from Cumbria with the points by beating EGREMONT RANGERS.

Third-placed LOCK LANE – who were surprisingly held to a draw by Hull Dockers last week – have been backed to return to winning ways with a narrow win over a THATTO HEATH CRUSADERS outfit who are just one place below them in the table.

After been paired together in next month’s Conference Challenge Trophy quarter-finals WIGAN ST PATRICKS and LEIGH MINERS RANGERS will stage a dress rehearsal in a league encounter at Clarington Park.

Currently sixth – the final play-off place – Mathew feels that Miners will come up short in their quest for a league double having won the first meeting 20-18 back in May.

HULL DOCKERS battling draw last week saw them move out of the relegation zone and with bottom-side WIGAN ST JUDES their visitors this weekend the hosts should give themselves a bit more breathing space.

Division One pace-setters ROCHDALE MAYFIELD should have no trouble dismissing an ECCLES side hovering just above the drop-zone and MYTON WARRIORS will have just enough to complete a league double over YORK ACORN.

DEWSBURY CELTIC are in desperate need of points but will have to wait at least another week with INCE ROSE BRIDGE tipped to return to Wigan with the spoils, whilst OULTON RAIDERS are another away side favoured to succeed with SADDLEWORTH RANGERS the victims.

Time looks to be running out for a MILLOM side who won’t be able to halt MILFORD MARLINS quest for revenge following their shock defeat to the Cumbrian’s earlier in the campaign, and Mathew is going for SHAW CROSS SHARKS to defy the league standings to complete the double over NORMANTON KNIGHTS.

There’s a real relegation battle in store when ASKAM take on STANNINGLEY in Division Two. Both sides currently occupy places in the bottom-three but Mathew is picking the home side to come out on top.

Home wins are tipped for ELLAND and LEIGH EAST – over OLDHAM ST ANNES and CASTLEFORD PANTHERS respectively, with the away sides the likely victors when KELLS travel to PILKINGTON RECS and BRADFORD DUDLEY HILL head to WATERHEAD.

In Division Three promotion-chasing BLACKBROOK are tipped to slip up at improving COVENTRY BEARS, WOOLSTON ROVERS should have few problems dispensing with HEWORTH and CROSFIELDS should cruise to a 20-point victory at HINDLEY.

Fourth-placed UNDERBANK RANGERS can’t afford to make a mistake when EASTMOOR DRAGONS arrive in Huddersfield and Mathew can see nothing but a comfortable home win when the two West Yorkshire sides lock horns.

PREMIER DIVISION
Siddal v Wath Brow Hornets – Siddal by 14
Wigan St Patricks v Leigh Miners Rangers – St Pats by 10
Egremont Rangers v West Hull – Wests by 18
Lock Lane v Thatto Heath Crusaders – Lock Lane by 6
Hull Dockers v Wigan St Judes – Dockers by 20

DIVISION ONE
Rochdale Mayfield v Eccles – Mayfield by 30
York Acorn v Myton Warriors – Myton by 10
Dewsbury Celtic v Ince Rose Bridge – Ince by 14
Milford Marlins v Millom – Milford by 24
Shaw Cross Sharks v Normanton Knights – Shaw Cross by 8
Saddleworth Rangers v Oulton Raiders – Oulton by 16

DIVISION TWO
Askam v Stanningley – Askam by 10
Elland v Oldham St Annes – Elland by 12
Leigh East v Castleford Panthers – Leigh East by 18
Ovenden v Stanley Rangers – Stanley by 10
Pilkington Recs v Kells – Kells by 4
Waterhead v Bradford Dudley Hill – Dudley Hill by 14

DIVISION THREE
Coventry Bears v Blackbrook – Coventry by 8
Woolston Rovers v Heworth – Woolston by 14
Hindley v Crosfields – Crosfields by 20
Underbank Rangers v Eastmoor Dragons – Underbank by 28