FORMER Premiership player Jon Benson has returned to his native county to play for Darlington Mowden Park and will be at fly half for today's opening National Three North match at home to Morley.

Wolsingham-born Benson was in the Durham Colts team which reached the Twickenham final in 1991, playing alongside the likes of Blaydon centre Martin Shaw and Middlesbrough hooker Richard Horton.

He played in the top flight for West Hartlepool before moving on to Rotherham, Doncaster and Otley.

While Benson will be Mowden's goal-kicker, they have useful back-up in another new signing, Gareth Foreman, from Hartlepool Rovers.

A utility back, he has been selected on the wing, while his brother, Andy, is on the bench as former Darlington player Rob Stewart is preferred at scrum half. He has had the plate removed from the arm he broke the season before last and impressed in a recent friendly at Watsonians.

Two other newcomers in the backs are Morpeth's Tom Wilkinson, who has attracted interest from Newcastle Falcons, and Barnard Castle School product Lawrence Oliver.

The only member of last season's overseas contingent to have returned is combative hooker Shaun Buckley, who has brought an open side flanker with him from New Zealand.

Paul Begovich goes straight into the team with Scott Riddell suffering from a broken nose. Another No 7 with Falcons' connections, West Hartlepool's Aaron Myers, is apparently going to be available to Mowden, but is currently injured.

There are also hopes that two members of the Falcons' senior development squad, prop Robbie Kalbraier and winger Tim Visser, will play some games. Kalbraier is on the bench today with Danny Brown and former Darlington player Dan Miller ahead of him.

Of the two forwards who have joined from Blaydon, Chris Stewart is on the bench and Paul Vinnicombe is at blind side.

Although No 8 Jason Smithson is still with the club, off the field he will be concentrating on his club development role, with Shaun Cassidy having joined the coaching staff.

Mowden Park: I Dixon, G Foreman, T Wilkinson, J Connolly, L Oliver, J Benson, R Stewart, D Brown, S Buckley, D Miller, L Monument, I Robinson, P Vinnicombe, P Begovich, J Smithson.

Blaydon begin life in National Two with a 7.30am departure by train to Orpington in Kent to play Westcombe Park.

The only matches for which they plan to travel the previous day are at Henley and Southend, while they have chartered a plane for their trip to Redruth.

At 37, Dave Guthrie begins his 14th season as captain and will have Dave Whitehead alongside him in the second row following his return from Otley.

Jimmy Isaacson, the Easington-born former Newcastle and Leeds prop, has also joined, along with two ex-Falcons Academy wingers in James Hamer and Cameron Johnson, previously with Mowden Park and Tynedale respectively. Both play today as James Fenby is injured.

Other newcomers in the side are Ben Chisholm, an open side flanker who has played for New Zealand Under-21s, and scrum half Dominic Shaw, who has played for Henley and is now at Newcastle University.

It is hoped that centre Adam Dehaty, who was on the bench for Newcastle in last night's friendly at Glasgow, will be available for most games, while another centre is on the way from South Africa. Meanwhile Director of Rugby Nick Gandy plays alongside Martin Shaw.

Blaydon: R Smith, J Hamer, N Gandy, M Shaw, C Johnson, D Kyle, D Shaw, J Clarke, M Hall, J Isaacson, D Guthrie (capt), D Whitehead, S St Bernard, B Chisholm, P Altona.

Darlington coach Kevin Robinson sees today's EDF Energy Cup qualifier at home to Westoe as a benchmark as he prepares a young side for life in North One.

After being two divisions apart, they will be competing with promoted Middlesbrough and have signed a few fringe players from the Acklam Park club.

Among them is scrum half Tom Bivens, who had to understudy Peter Wright at Boro, while locks Dave Hinchley and Chris Palesci have also signed.

Two players have joined from Durham City, county prop Mark Cammiss and centre Jimmy Atkinson, while flanker Matt Dilworth has returned after missing last season.

With ex-Mowden Park man Andrew Tonkin unavailable today, the No 7 shirt goes to ex-colt Russell Hayworth, who gave up the game for five years.

Robinson is excited about the prospects of 18-year-old centre Andrew Pugh, a player he has brought up through the minis since the age of six, and a young three-quarter line is completed by Alex Lineton, Liam McConnell and Adam Kibirige.

Rob Goddard, who returned to senior action when the exodus began at the end of last season, takes over hooking duties from Dan Oselton, who has joined Moseley. Last season's skipper Richard Snowball has also raised his sights by joining Otley, while scrum half Sean Richardson has become player-coach at Redcar, who are reputedly paying him well and have also signed Middlesbrough prop Craig Chapman.

Darlington: D Glendenning, L McConnell, A Lineton, A Pugh, A Kibirige, L Richardson (capt), J Oselton, R Goddard, M Cammiss, C Paleschi, A Harston, M Dilworth, R Hayworth, D Lewis.

With the rest of the leagues not starting until next week, Stockton visit Gateshead for a friendly today under official new skipper Mark Skirving.

Last year's captain Matty Oates, who was injured in January, is currently unavailable after setting up a new business, while back row man Brett Wildridge has joined Billingham after 12 years' service and centre Paul Underwood has taken a teaching job in Hampshire.

Wingers Phil Cornforth and Ben Ray have returned to the game and are in the side today.

Yarm have begun their tenth year by moving in with Preston Cricket Club and have brought in Rick Taylor and former Stockton and Durham County captain Graham Naisbitt as coaches.

New players include midfield backs Richie Metcalfe, who previously played for Gateshead Thunder, and Danny Bishop, from Middlesbrough, plus former Northern lock Dave Booth.