Big game this Sat at the Den.

Read the Birmingham Bees pre match view point here .......

Stage set for epic encounter, with both sides still in the mix for the automatic promotion spot

The Bees will look to put the frustrations of last weekend behind them as they travel to Peterborough Lions for a crunch top of the table clash (Bretton Park, Peterborough, Saturday 7th April, KO 3pm).

With Birmingham & Solihull awaiting the outcome (as of 11.00am today) of a submission to the League contending that Newport Salop did not have justifiable grounds to insist that the game on Saturday 31st March be postponed, focus has shifted fairly and squarely onto a contest against the only side in the league who can put a spanner in the Bees’ bid for automatic promotion.

With neither side playing last weekend, the Bees remain 11 points clear of Saturday’s hosts and nearest rivals Peterborough Lions with still a game in hand. A win or a draw will secure promotion for the Bees – a loss would mean that matters would still remain in the balance.

For the Lions, a trip to Bournville followed by an end of season home game against Bridgnorth has the potential to yield a further 10 league points. For the Bees, their itinerary post Saturday’s match includes a home tie against Sandbach, an away trip to Scunthorpe and the rescheduled game against Newport Salop.

The various permutations will be put to one side for now as the Bees prepare to go head to head with one of the league’s stand-out sides. With 19 wins and just four losses, the warmth of the Lions breath has seldom been off Bees’ necks of all season long.

All four of Peterborough’s defeats came pre-Christmas – at Newport Salop on 21st October (41-21), at Scunthorpe on the 11th November (31-15) and at home to Sandbach a fortnight later (17-19). They also came out second best – but only narrowly (22-17) – to the Bees at Portway on the 2nd December.

Since then, they have gone on an impressive run of 11 consecutive wins, continuing to keep the pressure on Pete Glackin and Stewart Pearl’s side. The stage is therefore set for an epic encounter on Saturday.

There is no game for the Hornets at Portway with the planned fixture against Luctonians 2nds being cancelled.

Bees squad v Peterborough Lions (A, 3pm KO): - 1. Joe Foreman, 2. Zane Raimondi, 3. Kurtis Payne, 4. Matt Spink, 5. Danny Wright, 6. Ashley Scriven, 7. Michael Stephens, 8. Umraan Jadwat, 9. Jack Jolly ©, 10. Harry O’Brien, 11. Steve Johns, 12. Nathan Tilsley, 13. Jimmy Oliver 14. Tawanda Chipadza, 15. Ben Phillips, 16., Matt Probert 17. Andy Weaver & 18. Tyler Price.

Referee: - Carl Adams

AND THE PETERBOROUGH ET PRE GAME REPORT.......

No doubt about the big rugby game in Peterborough this weekend.

It’s at Solstice Park, Bretton, and it features the best two teams in the Midlands Premiership - Peterborough Lions and Birmingham.

Birmingham arrive sitting pretty at the top of the table and victory - or even a draw - will see them clinch the title and a place in National League Division Two next season.

Loads of their supporters are making the trip hoping for a big celebration.

Lions chairman Andy Moore has other ideas. He insists his side will be party poopers.

“I’ve told Birmingham to leave their champagne at home,” he said.

“They maybe a good side, they maybe worthy champions and they will certainly have the bit between their teeth after having their game against Newport postponed last Saturday when they were expected to win the title.

“But we also have plenty to play for. A win will go a long way to giving us the runners-up spot and a promotion play-off place that goes with it.

“And if we are to finish second we will secure home advantage in the play-off if we get more points than the team finishing second in the Northern Premiership.”

That is currently Hull, who have 91 points with three games to play - exactly the same as the Lions.

And Moore maintains there’s also the small matter of gaining revenge over ‘the best team in the league’.

He said: “When we played them at their place back in December we only just lost 22-17 but we were the better side,” said Moore.

“They scored a try just before half-time and another right at the start of the second half when we were re-organising after injuries to Wes Cope and Tom Lewis. They scored at opportune times and if there had been another five minutes we’d have won the game.

“So we’ve also got plenty to play for and it should be an absolute humdinger of a match.

“We’re also on a roll - 11 wins on the trot - and our lads are in no mood to surrender that in front of our biggest crowd of the season.”

The Lions last defeat was the Birmingham game on December 2. Birmingham have lost just once all season - 23-20 at Sandbach on February 10.

Moore has also revealed before the big game that his head coach Vili Ma’asi, the former Tongan World Cup star who joined the club from Ampthill at the start of the season, has agreed to coninue in the role next season.

“And he told me he didn’t want to do the same league again next season. Onwards and upwards!” added Moore.

Lions expect to be at full strength for Saturday’s big match, which kicks off at 3pm.