Our guide to a weekend of local sport, can football, rugby, and running beat the weather.

The big question is can local sport finally beat the weather,

After two week's of inactivity one football match that will definitely go ahead is the intriguing game on Eastwoods artificial pitch between two play-off rivals Belper United and Newark Town. "The Blues hold a five point lead and have two matches in hand over their Derbyshire rivals so it will be a case of no silly slip-ups as they look to cement that top-five place.

At the other end of the table Newark & Sherwood's inactivity has seen them slip to the bottom of table making Saturday's home match against Heanor Town a must win match. NSU sit five points adrift of their opponents but have a massive five matches in hand. Two words of caution on this one, the pitch at Harrowby resembles a ploughed field and has seen its last four matches postponed, don't bet against that becoming five. Heanor's league position looks poor it's worth remembering they scored five goals against long time leaders Boston Town last week, a total NSU have achieved in their last seven matches.

Another club on pitch watch will be Southwell City as look to play at their Brinkley ground for only the second time time year, if the sun makes an appearance Dronfield Town will be the visitors. 

Collingham will make a second attempt to play their Notts Senior Trophy Quarter-final at Central Midlands Alliance side Blidworth, if it gets called off the fixture should reverse to give the villagers home advantage.

Newark Rugby Club are six points adrift at the bottom of the Midlands North table and with their next two matches against teams also languishing in the wrong part of the table the next three weeks could prove decisive. The first of those games should see Birmingham club Old Salteians arrive at Kelham Road this Saturday and despite the River Trent doing it's best to scupper any hope of play Newark have announced the match will go ahead with the added bonus of watching the Six Nations in the clubhouse afterwards.

Over at Bishops Drive, mid-table Southwell take on bottom of the table Ashby in the Counties 1 Midlands East Division.  

A little mud will not stop our runners, starting with the Parkrun and ending with a plethora of Valentine Day runs with some wonderful names. From The Racoon Rocket Run in Surrey to a night on Dartmoor for the Wild & Mild Night Run to Besotted at Bingley and the Hull Culture Run. Let us know if any Striders, Notfast and Newark AC runners are loved up with their running this weekend.

Sunday sees Jaguars Wheelchair Basketball Club travel to the Stoke Manderville Stadium to play Acres WBC in the National League Premier Division.