Hull’s win at Kendal by 33-7 and Harrogate’s home defeat to Lymm by 21-20 last Saturday has put Hull in a very strong position regarding the playoffs and the situation is that if we beat Kirkby Lonsdale at the Ferens Ground on Saturday we will be runners-up to Preston Grasshoppers.
The second-placed team in the Midlands Premier League are Peterborough Lions, who, up to last Saturday had a superior playing record to ourselves. However, last Saturday they lost at home to league leaders Birmingham/Solihull by 22-20 which means that at the moment we have a superior record to them and that the playoff would be at Hull if nothing changes.
The respective league positons are as follows:
Hull have to play ninth-placed Kirkby Lonsdale, whom we defeated at Kirkby 42-12 on March 17th, and fifth-placed Rossendale, whom we beat 31-13 at the Ferens Ground on the opening day of the season.
Rossendale have lost four times at home this season and last Saturday scraped an 18-17 home win against eleventh-placed Sandal. They are, however, on a six match winning streak at the moment.
Peterborough have to play away at tenth-placed Bournville, whom they defeated 56-29 at Peterborough on December 9th, and at home to fifth-placed Bridgenorth, whom they defeated 27-26 on the opening day of the season.
Bournville have won seven and lost five of their home games, while Peterborough have lost three times on the road. Bridgenorth have won seven games and lost five of their away games.
It must also be said that if Newport (Salop) win their remaining three games in the Midlands division they could have a big say in who comes second in that league.
The bottom line is that if both Hull and Peterborough win their remaining two games the play-off will be at the Ferens Ground and that such games are usually played on the following week after the final league games, which will be in this case on April 28th.
Norman Angell
HULL RUGBY UNION FOOTBALL CLUB 