1st XV Results

A sunny day with hardly any wind was ideal conditions for this league fixture against an All Spartans side that had been beaten 0: 70 just after New Year by Melbourne. 

Melbourne have 4 or 5 potentially tough fixtures left this year if they are to win promotion and Leesbrook away was certainly one of them. Over the past few years the matches between the two teams had been close and hard fought affairs and the home clash had been a hard fought win earlier in the season.

After last week's 17-0 victory over Tupton, Melbourne had the pleasure of playing them again, this time at their place in a league and Derbyshire Cup double header.

Melbourne entered the new year lying 2nd in the league with two games in hand and a goodish points difference, and found themselves playing one of two teams we had not yet come up against, All Spartans OB's who were in their first year in the league but had won a few games. 

Melbourne were looking forward to a nice run out in the Derbyshire Cup against Ripley Rhinos but they opted not play us and gave us a bye to the next round and we found ourselves against Belper in the NLD Cup, a very different proposition.

After last week's win over league leaders Rolls Royce had to face up to the leagues bottom club Chesterfield who have yet to win this year. After two massive games Melbourne had to stay focussed and not slip up. Whilst for Chesterfield I guess they had nothing to lose. 

The only two unbeaten teams in the league, Rolls Royce and Melbourne came up against each other for what is likely to be one of the league's deciding games. 

If Melbourne are going to win the league this year then there a couple of teams that they have to get results against and Belper is one of them. Historically the games are always tight affairs.