IT'S do-or-die for Darlington Mowden Park today when they entertain Tynedale knowing that defeat could prove terminal in their battle to preserve national league status.

With five games left this and the visit of Fylde on April 30 are the best chances they have to record much-needed victories.

Tynedale are fifth in National Three North and Fylde sixth, while Mowden's other home game is against second-placed Macclesfield and they also have to visit Cleckheaton and leaders Halifax.

Predictions at the start of the season were that the positions of today's combatants at Yiewsley Drive would be reversed. But in the face of a similar casualty list to Mowden's, Tynedale have proved remarkably resilient and have won five times away from home.

Mowden can take heart, however, from the fact that Tynedale lost 38-19 at Darlington and their points against tally of 488 is higher than that of any other side apart from the bottom two.

The Corbridge club also score plenty of points and in full back Will Massey have the league's third highest scorer with 166, which includes 11 tries. But winger Ali Gray, who has eight tries, is at a wedding.

Massey has also been a successful goal-kicker in the absence of skipper Phil Belgian, who is fit to play today and if he appears at centre will be up against another returning goal-kicker, Mark Bedworth.

Mowden have opted to select Bedworth at inside centre, where he was very influential on his last return from injury at home to Darlington in late November. But he lasted only a couple of games before breaking down again.

With Matt Howland injured, Bedworth will play alongside Tom Lauriston, with Michael Breen and Peter Phelan on the wings and Michael Georgiou at full back as Iain Dixon is unavailable.

The pack will be the same as finished last week's game with Kelekolio Paino at lock as Naude Pretorius is ruled out by his shoulder injury.

Luke Monument is on the bench after his week's ban and Fosita Tanginoa will provide cover for the back three and the three-quarters.

The Blaydon v Darlington match is not quite so crucial, although the losers will probably be only a point above the third relegation spot if Mowden win and Rugby Lions beat Dudley.

Having already won at Darlington this season, as well as beating them in last season's Durham Cup final, Blaydon are favourites, especially with skipper Dave Guthrie emerging unscathed from his triumphant comeback last week. If they do win they will need only to beat bottom club Bedford Athletic at home to feel safe.

Defeat for Darlington would make the visit of Rugby in two weeks a real nail-biter and they will be grateful to have next week off, when others are on county cup duty.

Darlington feel that the return of their own skipper, fly half Paul Lee, is a big boost as he shores up their defence around the breakdown as well as creating things out wide.

Middlesbrough have selected Simon Moore at fly half with Neil Baggett at full back for the visit of North One leaders Preston Grasshoppers.

That's pretty much how they operated for the second half of last week's 53-8 home win against Sheffield and they will be looking for similar fluency against a team they matched for 40 minutes at Preston.

l The final date for buying tickets for Newcastle Falcons' Heineken Cup quarter-final at Parc des Princes in Paris on April 2 is next Thursday.

Stade Francais have sold almost all their tickets and the Falcons have sold half of their 3,000 allocation.

Tickets are available on 0871 226 60 60.