The Bees head north on the back of a frustratingly narrow 23-25 loss at home to Stourbridge last Saturday – a game in which they had more than their fair share of chances to secure the win.

Huddersfield currently sit in eleventh spot in the league, two places and five points ahead of the Bees and their 26 points to date have come from four wins and two draws. ‘Field are unbeaten at home this season to date – beating Broadstreet, Hull and Stourbridge on home soil, as well as notching up creditable draws against Ampthill and Harrogate at Lockwood Park.

Their form away from home is less formidable, although they have beaten Leicester Lions on their travels and also pushed Sedgley Park very close last weekend, losing 21-19 in a tight game at Whitefield.

Fly half Joel Hinchecliffe is Huddersfield’s leading points scorer season to date with 67 points, whilst No.8 Nick Sharpe is their leading try scorer – crossing the whitewash six times.

As Huddersfield were promoted to NLN2 this season, the two sides didn’t meet in their respective 2013/14 campaigns. We therefore have to go back to the 2012/13 NLN2 season for the most recent head to head encounters, with the Bees winning both games in what was to be a miserable year for the men from the white rose county.

The game at Portway (3rd November 2012) saw the Bees win by 25-10, with tries by left wing Rob Brown and stand-in scrum half Oscar Heath; Lee Chapman and Jack Jolly sharing the kicking spoils that day.

The return fixture onf a very wet and dank day in March (9th March 2013) saw the Bees eventually cruise to a comfortable 3-53 win. The game had been reasonably close at 3-13 with just 20 minutes to go, but a Bees’ try fest in the last quarter (Oscar Heath 2, Darren Forder 2, Michael Stephens and Lee Chapman) saw the visitors ease to a well earned victory.

Huddersfield were to finish bottom of the league that season with just two wins and one draw to their name, but they were to bounce straight back from relegation with promotion from NLN3 last season.

With the Bees struggling for consistency this year and Huddersfield’s good home form thus far, Saturday’s game will be another important challenge for the men in black.