Patrons Cup preview: six weekend games scheduled
Thursday, 27-Sep-2012
Six games highlight the Patrons Cup schedule as the Division 2 Men’s competition continues its pool stage this weekend.
Loughborough Students Riders v London Westside (Pool 1)
29 September, 4pm, David Wallace Sports Hall
Both Loughborough Students Riders and London Westside will look to continue their early-season good form when they face each other on Saturday afternoon.
Riders make their Division 2 home debut against Westside after starting their Patrons Cup campaign with a 110-82 hammering of Mansfield Giants last week.
Westside also won their opener against Glamorgan Gladiators last Saturday.
Mansfield Giants v Team Solent (Pool 1)
29 September, 6pm, Oaktree LC
Mansfield host their second consecutive game this weekend and their opponents, Team Solent, are on the road once again as both teams hope to recover from opening day losses.
Giants took a fourth quarter beating last week against Division 2 newcomers Loughborough and Solent were also defeated by a newly-promoted team, NASSA.
Both teams are acquainted with each other having both played in Division 2 last season and feature a group of returning players.
Birmingham Mets v Eastside Eagles (Pool 2)
29 September, 3:15pm, Birmingham Met College
Birmingham Mets take on Eastside Eagles on Saturday in another clash of teams who both played in Division 2 last season.
Mets and Eagles also won their respective Patrons Cup openers last weekend, Birmingham against Arrows and Eastside against London United, so both sides will be looking for that 2-0 record to take the early lead in Pool 2.
Killamarsh Derbyshire Arrows v Manchester Magic (Pool 1)
29 September, 5:45pm, Killamarsh SC
Manchester Magic will be hungry for a legitimate victory on Saturday in Derbyshire after having to accept a 20-0 win last weekend due to PAWS London Capital forfeiting their game.
Capital were unable to licence players in time for their opener against Magic last Saturday leaving a lot of disappointed fans and players in Manchester as they were eager to start their new season in Division 2.
However, Magic will face their first test of the season against coach Pete Kelly and the Arrows who were narrowly defeated by Birmingham Mets at Killamarsh last weekend.
“We need to concentrate on getting better each week as new players arrive and try and bed in,” said Kelly heading into Saturday’s game.
Glamorgan Gladiators v Newham NASSA Neptunes (Pool 1)
30 September, 4:30pm, Rhondda Fach SC
NASSA are welcomed to Division 2 with the long trip across country to south Wales where they will face Glamorgan Gladiators.
Neptunes won their opening game at University of East London Sportsdock last weekend against Team Solent and will be hoping for the same against another Division 2 team from last season, Glamorgan.
Gladiators had a strong season in 2011/12 finishing third, but they did lose to Westside last Saturday.
London United-Harefield Academy v PAWS London Capital (Pool 2)
30 September, 2pm, Harefield Academy
A London derby on Sunday afternoon sees London United host recently relegated PAWS London Capital.
United were defeated by another London club last weekend, Eastside, while PAWS were unable to field a team against Manchester and had to accept the forfeit.