Maidenhead give themselves a lifeline in relegation battle but face tough run-in

Drew Prince scores Maids’ third try on Saturday. Photo: Paul Morgan

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Having edged out Farnham 26-24 at Braywick Park on Saturday thanks to a thrilling late try from Max Thomas, Maids have raised hopes they can hold onto their place in the Regional 1 South Central Division next season.

Saturday’s win, earned in the final minutes when Thomas dived over after a patient build up, moves them two points clear of the automatic relegation places with three games to go.

Unfortunately for Maids, those three remaining games are against the teams currently placed third to fifth - Tunbridge Wells, Old Alleynians and CS Stags - and Maids will be second favourite in all three matches, despite having home advantage over Tunbridge Wells and CS Stags.

They may still go down automatically if Camberley or Hammersmith & Fulham managed to pick up more points than they do from their remaining matches.

But this victory – snatched from the clutches of defeat as the clock ticked towards the 80-minute mark – has given them real hope of finishing in one of the division’s relegation play-off spots and prolonging their stay at this level for another season.

They would still have to play a relegation play-off should they finish 10th – likely to be against Wimbledon away from home. And the loser of that clash would then face a promotion hopeful from the division below in a match that would determine which level they play at next season.

It is though, the best they can hope for right now, and would give them two bites of the cherry to stay in this league next season.

As it stands, Maidenhead are 10th, on 29 points, now two points above Camberley on 27 points with Hammersmith still bottom despite improved recent form on 24 points.

Wimbledon’s victory over Hammersmith this weekend has lifted them 10 points above Maids in ninth, and there’s a chance they could still catch eighth placed Worthing and drag them down into the play-off scrap. With three to play they’re seven points adrift. Difficult, but not undoable, despite Wimbledon finishing off away to champions Jersey - who confirmed their title on Saturday with a 38-7 win at Bracknell - their 19th from 19 matches this season.

So, Maids finish up with the teams currently placed third to fifth in the table - Tunbridge Wells at home (Saturday, March 21), Old Alleynians away Saturday, March 28) and CS Stags at Braywick Park on the final day on Saturday, April 11.

Contrast that with Camberley’s run in. They face tough encounters with Jersey away on March 21, Wimbledon at home on March 28 and London Scottish Lions away on April 11. Arguably tougher fixtures on paper, with only one of them on home soil, but will Jersey take their foot off the gas with the title now won, and will Wimbledon and London Scottish Lions do the same if their play-off fates have already been determined?

Hammersmith are the dark horses for survival. They’ve been bottom of the table for most of the season, but recent results and performances suggest they may be playing better than both Maidenhead and Camberley. They finished within six points of Wimbledon on Saturday (36-40) picking up two more useful bonus points, while they hammered Camberley 64-23 a few weeks ago and came the closest anyone has come this season to beating Jersey in last week’s 28-21 away defeat. They have a mixed run in on paper, with two away games at London Scottish Lions on March 21 and Farnham on April 11, with a home tie with Worthing - the most winnable on paper of the three - on March 28.

Which of these three teams are relegated from here looks impossible to predict, but Maidenhead will feel buoyed to have those extra few points in the bank and two home games to come against Tunbridge Wells and CS Stags. They’re capable of producing something special at Braywick Park when required, just as they did on Saturday.