This Saturday we welcome Blackburn to Rivacre Road.

“The Burn” were promoted from the North Lancashire/Cumbria league to North One West in 2014-15. In their first season they finished eleventh and, for the last two seasons, they have finished a creditable seventh.

After a disappointing result in the opening week of the season, losing 10-3 to Douglas in the Isle of Man, Blackburn scored five tries last Saturday, in a 29-14 victory to secure a bonus point win over newly promoted Broughton Park at Ramsgreave Drive.

Before league rugby intervened, Blackburn were regular visitors to Malone Field and the return fixture was popular with players and supporters. We have not played each other for many years and it is to be hoped we can re-establish our connections, not least by remaining in this division.

We have been slow to start in both our league games, but have finished each match strongly. Hopefully, we can compete from the first whistle and use can use home advantage to achieve a first victory in North One West.