GLOUCESTERSHIRE Warriors have no chance of reaching the Rugby League Conference play-offs but they could upset the Bristol Sonics’ applecart with a win in their final league fixture of the season at Little Stoke Park this Saturday (kick off 2.30pm).
In the final week of the season, there are only two sides in Midlands Premier division with nothing to play for. Coventry Bears will finish top and have been crowned Minor Premiers following their walkover win against the Warriors last week and their play-off place is assured while the Warriors are languishing in fifth and playing their last game of the season.
With the Sonics looking to complete an unprecedented trio of wins over their derby rivals and with that secure their best-ever league finish the Warriors will be facing a tough fixture.
"We will be up against it this weekend, there’s no doubt about that", said a spokesman for the Warriors. "The individual ability of the players on the pitch is not in question and has not been in question all season, it is just the teamwork that has been lacking as we have had to make so many changes from week to week.
"That has shown up especially in our defence which has not been effective this season, while our attack has been good and we are capable of scoring points, we have conceded too many to move us up the table.
"It has been a disappointing and frustrating season but once the game is over, we can begin to look forward to 2011."
The final weekend of fixtures throws up some interesting scenarios with any one of the three sides below Coventry able to finish in second place and claim a home tie in the play-offs that begin next week. Overall points difference does not count in the final standings as the head to head record of the sides tied on points decides their final position.
In simple terms, the Sonics will claim runners up spot should they win and Birmingham lose against the Bears. The Bulldogs will get home advantage next week with a win at Coventry regardless of the Sonics’ result while Leicester will be looking for both Bristol and Birmingham to slip up as their head to head is better than both of their rivals and will propel them into the runners up position should their rivals both lose.
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