With three wins out of three so far in their Premier League campaign, the Bees have another tough assignment on their hands this weekend as they welcome Derby to Portway (Saturday 23rd September, KO 3pm).

The Bees notched up their third successive win of the season last Saturday with an impressive 15-34 victory away at Bridgnorth – the bonus point win taking them up to third place in the league table, just one point adrift of fellow unbeaten sides Newport (Salop) and Peterborough Lions.

Derby have made a strong start to their second season at this level too, with bonus point wins against Sandbach and Old Halesonians. Their single defeat was away at Peterborough Lions a fortnight ago.

Back in Round 6 in October last season, it was the Bees who brought Derby’s hitherto 100% league record to an end with a gritty 14-20 victory at Haslams Lane. Three tries and five points from the boot of fly half Max Rodman were sufficient to outgun a Derby side that day in a performance that oozed character.

The Bees then completed the double over the Derbyshire side with a 32-14 win at Portway in January, in a game that was played – at times – in wintery conditions.

Tawanda “Chip” Chipadza – who scored a dazzling solo try in that game – returns to the Bees match day squad for the first time this season, after impressing in the Hornets. He is joined by fellow Hornet Chris Thompson who is set to make his league debut from the bench. Also in the dugout is Matt Dight, who replaces the injured Ben Phillips.

With last week’s rampaging try scorer Matt Spink unavailable, Danny Wright reverts back to second row with Reece Donaldson starting on the blindside.

Meanwhile the Hornets are back on the road again, with a fixture against Derby 2nds in the Midlands Reserve League (KO 3pm, Haslams Lane, Derby).

Bees squad v Derby (Home, 3pm KO): - 1. Joe Foreman, 2. Zane Raimondi, 3. Kurtis Payne, 4. Andy Weaver, 5. Danny Wright, 6. Reece Donaldson, 7. Ashley Scriven, 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. Matt Probert, 17. Chris Thompson & 18. Matt Dight.
Referee:- Rob Teare

Hornets squad v Derby 2 (Away, 3pm KO): - 1. George Radburn, 2. Jamie Domachi, 3. Harry Smith, 4. Harry Barnes, 5. Tom Greevy, 6. Matti Collier, 7. Jacob Lisle, 8. TBA, 9. Sean O’Sullivan, 10. Sonny Young, 11. Ace Summers, 12. Sam Allen, 13. Ben Cooper, 14. Cameron May, 15. Jamie Maynard, 16. Dan Truepenny, 17. Lewis Dolan & 18. TBA.

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