Week 4 Preview

Castlefields face champs test, Bylet look for first win

Week 4 sees a fascinating clash between champions Newport at much improved Castlefields. After their first week blip Newport have responded with an 11-3 and 14-0 win at home but will be tested by a Castlefields side looking to push Newport all the way this season. However Newport won at the Fields 8-6 last season and Castlefields will need to improve on their first home game when they narrowly beat Hadley USC 9-5 and by a single shot. Keith Walton, the home captain, says that “it’s a game between two mid table teams who are trying to beat each other, it will be a feather in our caps if we beat the champions!”

Bylet will be looking for their first win of the season when they host Wem USC. They won this fixture 10-4 last season and with Wem USC losing players over the Winter then they will be looking for a repeat to kick start their season. Archibald Worthington are another team near the bottom but face a tough fixture against a flying Meole Brace, who have won there 14-0 in the past. But Archie won their last game 8-6 at home and will be looking for another home win, whilst Meole will be looking to perhaps extend their lead over Newport.

Wrockwardine Wood will be looking for home comforts when they entertain Hadley USC. But Hadley won there last season 9-5 and will be looking for a repeat, but vice captain Rob Burroughs “expects a much tougher game than last season and will be hard pressed to match that win.” Wrockwardine however will be without Andy Jones, who is running the London Marathon Sunday, but will be hoping Josh Cotton will repeat his heroics from last week. Down the road at St Georges the home side will look to continue their good start with a win over Chester Road. A repeat of the 11-3 win last season would suit St Georges but Chester Road will be buoyed by their home win last week.

Bowring are another team that have started well and will look for a good home result over Ifton. However Ifton only narrowly lost there by 11 last season in a 9-5 loss and will be confident of getting a good result, especially after getting 5 up at St Georges two weeks ago. But the young look Bowring will be a different prospect. The final fixture sees Burway entertain a Sir John Bayley side who are still without their skipper Tom Roden. Burway have made a good start to the season whilst the Bayley have started a little slowly, but the Bayley won there two years ago and went close last year so will be looking for the same under stand in captain Alex Jones.