Ligers return to Twickenham Academy this Saturday and welcome Bracknell Athletic Hawks. Ligers will want to bounce back from last week's defeat and continue the drive for promotion. It's a vital week because none of the top six play each other so a slip-up by anyone would open up a gap to the top where Pinewood travel to bottom club Ashridge Park. Hawks arrive with a win, loss and a draw last time out so sit comfortably mid-table.
Tigers played Hawks last December, managing a 2-2 draw with goals from John and Gabriel. This season Hawks have just seven players confirmed on their roster and Sethu Ntamane is a name we haven't seen before. They opened this season losing 3-5 to Ligers' neighbours Teddington Athletic Wolves, beat Ashridge Park 3-0 and then had an exciting 4-4 draw with Woodley Saints Panthers, who were relieved to get a team out.
Ligers have been hit by injury this week. Both Matt and Dylan cried off on Thursday, so it will be interesting to see which of George PM and Joe, or possibly Gabe, takes the gloves this week. Goal machine George L is absent as he takes part in the Surrey County trials this weekend; Tommy is once again tied up with school commitments after his appearance last week. Helpfully, Hayden and Gabriel both return, as do Toby and Zac.
With James still committed to school rugby, Coach Wallis will still have 13 players to choose from come Saturday morning and must be hoping that someone will take on the mantle of goalscorer whilst the midfield shows a little more appetite for its defensive duty than it managed last week.
We are the second of three games at Lincoln Fields on Saturday morning, so a relaxed day for parents. The referee is Toby Middleton.
See you on Saturday