For anyone travelling to Chester, it may be worth noting that there is also Horse Racing at Chester Racecourse today (first race 2.00pm). As such, there could be additional traffic heading in the general direction around lunchtime / early afternoon.

Even though we won at Workington last week, I'm not totally convinced we're over our 'blip'. Whilst giving N Wales a 16 point start ought to be within our scope, it's another one of those games where any score - good or bad - wouldn't be too surprising.

It's very hard to call the Dons games at the moment.

I wouldn't like to bet on the outcome of this. Should be an away win but by how many is anyone's guess.

Result:
Cornwall 4 Oldham 56

HT Crusaders 18 Dons 4

FT Crusaders 28 Dons 22

Ouch... the 'blip' isn't over yet.

I'll add the latest table after the other games have finished.

FT Dewsbury 38 Workington 8

Dewsbury Rams - 2023 League One Champions and promoted to the Championship.

FT Rochdale 22 Hunslet 35

Hunslet four points clear of the Dons who have a game in hand.

Oldham who won earlier are one point behind the Dons (both have 3 games remaining).

Have we been riding our luck throughout the season - winning plenty of close games early on - suggesting we were never as good as we thought we were?

With Connor Robinson's place kicking, we really tied down sides but even when getting everything right, we've never really been able to dominate sides.

Now we're not managing games as effectively, we're being exposed by teams that we should be beating relatively easily.

I thought our forwards had been better this season but they seem to have regressed in recent weeks.

Losing to Midlands and N Wales has exposed our vulnerabilities big time. It's going to take a major turnaround in our fortunes for us to get anywhere near our peak again and threaten the likes of Oldham and Hunslet.

The news of the new signings has at least given some hope but that's what we seem to be living on at the moment, 'hope'.

We need to win by very significant margins against London and Cornwall, then put in a spirited performance against Dewsbury to build back some confidence. If we can't do that, an early play-off exit is likely.

Why so many changes after the Workington game ?
A good early try, then all down hill from there ,p!ss poor attack and shocking defence.

Cooper,Kenga and Roberts are not up to the job , what happened to James and Knowles who have been our most direct forwards this year?

If this was supposed to be test run to find our best squad going into the play offs then heaven help us, as most of the players looked like they would rather have been sat in the sun having a few beers.

Our halves look devoid of ideas hopefully we get a reaction next week but on that showing we could become London's first victory.
Simply not good enough.

Thanks for the report KLD. There's clearly not a lot to be optimistic about.

We'll never know but were James and Knowles in the squad but carry niggles? Are they being given a rest, ready for the play-offs? What's happened to Aaron Ollett, Brandan Wilkinson and Dave Petersen? You'd have thought that with our drop-off in form, they'd have got a game? Are they still at the club?

London won't be quaking in their boots next weekend. They showed they can give us a game with 12-men when they played here. We're getting near to the 'last chance saloon' for finding some form. It must start at Skolars.

Something is definitely wrong because nobody can tell me that side we had out wasn't good enough to beat a side that's just got beat at home against Cornwall and shipped in 40+ points! It's another game where we find ourselves too far behind at half time so you have to question what's being said before the game and the motivation the players have running out onto the pitch, it all boils down to horne who once again will get a free pass from this defeat, a passionate well knowledged coach gets us promoted.

Aaron Ollett I'm sure was on the bench at Oldham , not seen anything of the others for some time.