Gordon League have thrown down a final-day gauntlet to Smiths in what has been a titanic battle for the Counties 2 Gloucestershire North title this season.

The Gloucester club completed their regular league campaign with a 38-14 win at Brockworth at the weekend, which means that Smiths must win their last game at Spartans in five days’ time to claim back-to-back titles.

Gordon League’s bonus-point win on Saturday means they have a three-point advantage at the top, but chairman Nigel McMahon fears that will not quite be enough to hold off their rivals.

“I think Smiths will probably win,” admitted McMahon. “Spartans will put up a fight but Smiths are very good. They are well organised, I think they’ll be a bit too strong.”

Spartans are eighth in the 12-strong division, having won eight and drawn one of their 21 games, and were beaten 36-15 at Smiths back in October.

Gordon League’s two defeats this season have both been against Smiths in what has been become a very healthy rivalry – it is the second successive campaign that the two clubs have gone head-to-head in a race for the title.

Last season Smiths won the old Gloucestershire 1 North by four points and while McMahon fears history may be about to repeat itself, he remains in upbeat mood.

“It’s been a good league and we’ve had a great season,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of young lads coming through and they’ve all been good. We were without seven regulars at Brockworth so that shows the strength in depth that we’ve got.”

Only the title winners will be in with a chance of playing at a higher level next season, but even then nothing is guaranteed because they will face a play-off with the winners of Counties 2 Gloucestershire South for the one promotion spot.

That title has already been won by Clifton 2nds, who have won 19 and lost one of their 20 games.

“The play-off final will take place on Saturday 1^st April,” said Smiths official Mark Spreadbury. “It will almost certainly be played at Smiths or Gordon League, depending on who wins the league. The home team is decided by which club have the best record from games played and Clifton 2nds have had three walkovers.”

Speadbury also confirmed that Smiths, who have lost just once this season, have not entered the RFU’s new end-of-season Papa John’s Cup competition. Gordon League, meanwhile, have entered the competition.