League 1 preview: Victory at top of the table Midlands Hurricanes would be ‘big scalp’ for Dewsbury Rams

Unbeaten Midlands currently lead the way in League 1 after three wins and a draw from their opening four games, with the in-form Rams one of four teams just one point behind them.

Paul March’s men have won their last three games against Goole Vikings, Swinton Lions and Keighley Cougars after losing the season-opener at home to North Wales Crusaders.

And the Rams’ head coach believes a fourth win on the spin at the Hurricanes would be a statement victory.

He said: “We’ve been targeting the Keighley and the Midlands games because if you can knock the two big spenders in the league out and take points off them then you’re halfway there into getting a position where you want to finish in the league.

“We have had three good wins and we go there full of confidence. But they will be full of confidence too. We are expecting a tough game but we will prepare like we will always do and go there and give a good account of ourselves and hopefully come away with two points.

“Midlands are going to be up there anyway but it is a very competitive league and teams will take points off each other all year.

“It’s about making sure we take the big scalps and if we do take two points at the weekend then it would be a big scalp for us, especially down there.”

Explaining his side’s decent run of form, March revealed:

“The combinations are starting to gel a bit better and there’s a willingness to work hard for each other and to not let your mate down.

“That is what we are trying to build in training, it showed in the performance at Swinton and it showed in the performance against Keighley. I see it every week in training and I am now starting to see it more and more in games.”

The Rams were boosted last week with the return of player-assistant coach Matt Garside from an elbow injury.

“He’s our leader and skipper on the field,” March said of the second rower’s impact. “I feel we are more relaxed when he’s out there.”