Third plays fourth this weekend, as the Bees travel up to Doncaster Phoenix (Saturday 30th September, KO 3pm) looking to extend their unbeaten run to five games.

The Bees overcame a physical Derby side in some style last Saturday at Portway, scoring 9 tries and keeping a clean sheet in the second half to run out worthy 57-8 winners. The victory maintained the Bees’ 100% record in the league to date after four games, cementing their third-place position in the table.

They are just one point adrift of fellow unbeaten sides Newport (Salop) and Peterborough Lions, who have secured maximum bonus points in all four outings to date.

The Bees impressive form season to date has seen them score 23 tries in a total point tally of 165, with just 46 points conceded in their first four games. This compares very favourably with last season, where at the same stage they had a negative points difference of 3 (For 75, Against 78) and had crossed the whitewash just 9 times.

Pride is inevitably a prelude to a fall and there will be no room for complacency as the Bees make the coach trip northwards on Saturday, for what will be their first fixture against Doncaster Phoenix.

Sharing the Castle Park ground with Championship outfit the Knights, Phoenix are Doncaster’s amateur club. Recently reformed, they achieved back to back promotions in Yorkshire 1 and North East 1, before spending their first season at Level 5 of English rugby last season in National 3 North. Finishing in 11th position and avoiding relegation, they were level transferred to the Midlands Premier for the 2017/18 season.

Doncaster Phoenix have seemingly enjoyed their time in this league so far, with away wins at Old Halesonians (7-71) and Sandbach (16-22) and a home victory against Nuneaton (38-32). Their only defeat so far came at Castle Park at the hands of high flying Peterborough Lions (11-30).

Perhaps unsurprisingly the Bees field a largely unchanged side for their sortie up the M1, with the same backline that moved the ball so well in the Derby game. In the forwards, Matt Probert starts in the front row with Joe Foreman on the bench. The return of Michael Stephens to openside flanker sees Ash Scriven switching back to the blindside and Reece Donaldson named as a replacement.

Supporters who cannot make the trip to Doncaster can still see some rugby action at Portway, with the Hornets hosting Burton 2nds in the Midlands Reserve League (KO 3pm).

Bees squad v Doncaster Phoenix (Away 3pm KO, Sat Nav DN2 5QB): - 1. Matt Probert, 2. Zane Raimondi, 3. Kurtis Payne, 4. Andy Weaver, 5. Danny Wright, 6. Ashley Scriven, 7. Michael Stephens, 8 Umraan Jadwatt, 9. Jack Jolly ©, 10. Max Rodman, 11. Tawanda Chipadza, 12. Nathan Tilsley, 13. Jimmy Oliver, 14. JT Nabetelevu, 15. Harry O’Brien, 16. Joe Foreman, 17. Reece Donaldson & 18. Matt Dight.

Referee:- Andy Smith

Hornets squad v Burton 2 (Home, 3pm KO): - 1. George Radburn, 2. Jamie Domachi, 3. Harry Smith, 4. Harry Barnes, 5. Keenan Cooper, 6. Jacob Lisle, 7. Darren Forder, 8. Chris Thompson ©, 9. Jack Secher, 10. Sean O’Sullivan, 11. Ace Summers, 12. Sonny Young, 13. Jevon Hinds, 14. Ben Cooper, 15. Chris Fensome, 16. Tom Greevy, 17. Harry Jackson & 18. Jamie Maynard.