Finsbury Park RFC will be looking to avenge an earlier defeat this season against Hitchin in their top-of-the-table clash at Hackney Marshes on Saturday.
When these two sides last met in December, Hitchin ran out narrow 13-8 winners at Old Hale Way, Hertfordshire.
Since then, both teams have only lost one match apiece, with Hitchin having a narrow two-point lead at the top of Herts/Middlesex 1, the ninth tier of the English league system.
The winner of Saturday’s clash will take top spot as the season draws to a climax.
Gareth Chapman, Finsbury Park head coach, is confident his team can right the wrongs of December.
“The team realised after the last game we tried to overplay and didn’t retain the ball well enough,” he said.
“The aim this week will be to keep hold of the ball and wear them down before opening up to our back line.”
But Chapman is aware of the threat posed by a strong Hitchin side who have only lost twice all season and have secured a bonus point in 13 of their 19 matches.
“I am expecting a tough game, I think they will bring a big pack of forwards to make it tough at the set pieces. They will look to make us pay any time we make a mistake and if we lose then we will not be able to win the league,” he said.
Finsbury Park’s chances this weekend have been buoyed by the news that Chapman is expecting to have nearly all of his squad available.
“We have one or two players missing but we have plenty of quality able to step in. Sadly, with the number of players available, we will have some disappointed lads who are not picked for the squad, although everyone understands how big this game is. The team will be backed by every member of the club, even if not selected,” he said.
It has been a meteoric rise through the London leagues for Finsbury Park.
They have secured six straight promotions in as many seasons, including one double promotion, and a win this weekend will put them in a comfortable position for a seventh straight elevation.
Chapman knows, however, should that seventh straight promotion occur, that his team will have to raise their performance once again next season.
“The next league will bring new challenges. The teams will have better fitness levels and will be more structured. It will be a big step up but one I believe the club is well prepared for.
“I went into this season knowing from my experience that our squad would be strong enough to compete in this league. We had always set out to contend for the league with the aim of promotion. However, the way the team has performed has exceeded my expectations. They put together the new game plan from the start of the season and have continued to improve,” he said.
Two teams will be promoted to London 3 North West at the end of the season – so second place will be enough for Chapman’s side – but a loss on Saturday will deal a severe blow to their promotion charge. Third-placed St Albans are expected to win handsomely against lowly Barnet Elizabethans, narrowing the gap on the leading pair.
Signs are strong, however, that Finsbury Park has made the necessary improvements since December’s loss to take the top spot on Saturday.
They have the best points difference in the league, which is even almost 200 points greater than that of Saturday’s opponents, and no team in the league has scored more tries or earned more try bonus points.
They need not worry about their defence either as no team in the league have conceded fewer points.
“If we win on Saturday it puts it all in our hands.”
“We will have two games to play and will need to show both Wasps Amateurs and Thamesians the respect they deserve.
“I think if we don’t panic and play to our strengths and game plan, then we will come away with the win,” he said.
