Round-up: Runners-up Windsor looking to storm the Abbey in final league game

Windsor will finish their Counties 1 Tribute Southern North season in second place behind champions Oxford Harlequins 2nds - but the real question is can they force their way into the equation for promotion on the final day of the season.

With a restructure of the leagues underway an additional promotion spot is available for the team that has the best runners-up record in the wider region.

Under Andy Symons last season the team missed out that by the skin of their teeth, but they’ll be hoping their record this season is good enough to claim promotion as one of the best second-placed sides at their level.

Their recent 19-17 defeat at Bletchley will have damaged those hopes - and may have ended them - but they’ve responded well with an excellent 73-10 win over Chinnor 3rds at Home Park before their 28-8 win at Wallingford on Saturday, March 22.

Those results mean they’re clear in second heading into their final match of the season at home to Reading Abbey on Saturday (April 5). Abbey come into the game in sixth with a mixed record this season of 10 wins and 11 defeats.

Windsor have won 18 of their 21 matches, losing just three, but will it be good enough for the team to claim promotion. After taking on Abbey at Home Park, Windsor will then travel to Brunel University for the first round of the Counties 1 Championship Cup competition.

Symons’ side will be hoping for a victory to kick off a good run in the competition having made a limited impact on the end of season cup competition in recent seasons.

--

Marlow round off their Regional 2 Thames campaign with a home game against Old Priorians on Saturday and will be hoping they can edge themselves above Teddington into eighth place.

It’s been a season of highs and lows for Kev O’Byrne’s side in the division with the side having picked up some incredible victories - such as their 32-31 success away to title winners London Scottish Lions in the season.

But inconsistency of performance and selection has meant the highs have been followed by some disappointing lows and a run of five defeats through from February into March halted any hopes they might have had of a top half finish.

They did though stop the rot with a 29-28 win at Teddington on March 22, battling back to win having been 21-14 down and seemingly beaten at the break. There was also a nice symmetry to the result with Marlow having lost by just a point to the same opponents at Riverwoods back in early February - that game finishing 27-28.

They’ll therefore be looking to build on their last outing at home to Old Priorians this weekend.

Their visitors sit sixth in the table having won 11 of their 21 matches to date. Marlow are set to finish comfortably outside of the division’s relegation zone; however, they have some serious work to do if they are to bridge the gap to the likes of second and third placed H.A.C and Belsize Park next season.