NEWCASTLE prop James Isaacson is convinced there will be no hangover from last week's thrashing at Leicester when the Falcons entertain Gloucester tomorrow.

The 25-year-old Durham School product starts at loose head in preference to joint captain Ian Peel, who needs a rest, and says: "We have to get back on the horse.

"The wheels have definitely not fallen off our season. We have done quality work in all areas of training this week and we have managed to get ourselves back up for Sunday."

Although he would never admit it, there was a feeling that Rob Andrew used the Leicester match, which his team lost 83-10, to provide invaluable experience for people like lock Geoff Parling, who was up against Martin Johnson.

Andrew said beforehand that even if they lost his team would still be in the running for the title play-offs, and tomorrow's match is sixth versus fifth in the table so there is plenty to play for.

The Falcons need to stay in the running in the hope that they will soon be back to full-strength. They have no game next weekend, but there is a chance that Jonny Wilkinson, Matt Burke and Colin Charvis could be available for the following week's trip to Harlequins, assuming none are pitched straight into international battle.

Argentinian international prop Galo Alvarez Quinones is also likely to make his debut against Quins when the Falcons will be targeting a valuable away win against a side struggling for Premiership survival.

Quinones' arrival means Isaacson may not get many more chances to start this season, but he is delighted to be a regular member of the squad as this time last year he was in a similar position to that faced now by fellow prop David Wilson.

Isaacson battled back from a broken leg, while Wilson has been out for nine months after suffering a bad knee injury during the Under 19 World Cup.

Andrew said: "We have been skating on thin ice in the front row, but now Galo is with us and we have David Wilson back we have some serious cover in that position.

"In the last two weeks David has made a significant improvement and the games he has played for Westoe have helped him a huge amount.

"I've made no secret of the fact that I see him being a big part of this club for a long time to come."

Isaacson had no complaints about Andrew ordering the troops in for extra training this week.

He said: "Our day off on Thursday was cancelled and we did an extra defence session in the snow. Micky Ward had the full winter Geordie uniform on - T-shirt and shorts.

"The atmosphere has been all right this week. Words were said by players and management after last Saturday's game, and there was a lot of soul-searching going on, but there was no real shouting and everything has been handled very maturely.

"You have to be professional about these things and go out and fix them. We can't dwell on a disappointment like that. How you come back from these things is the measure of a good team."

In the absence of Peel, No 8 Phil Dowson will captain the Falcons for the first time. The match definitely goes ahead after the snow disappeared yesterday and the kick-off is at 1.15.

* The Durham Cup looks likely to be thrown into its usual chaos by today's postponements, with Darlington Mowden Park having to rearrange their National Three North match against Fylde for April 30, the scheduled cup final day.

Fylde could not fit it in before then, so it will now become Mowden's final league game. They had to pull out of the county cup last season and are currently waiting for Hartlepool Rovers to confirm they can play their delayed first round match on March 26, the scheduled semi-final day.

Blaydon expect their match at Macclesfield to go ahead and skipper Dave Guthrie will be back in the side following their two defeats without him.

The other lock, Jimmy Houghton, and flanker Dave Marwick also return, the only absentee being scrum half Nick Williams. He is at a training camp in Italy with the Austrian World Cup squad, for which he was selected by virtue of an Austrian grandparent. His place goes to Durham School teacher Ben Mason, who deputised earlier in the season.

Darlington's match away to leaders Halifax is doubtful but a decision will not be taken until 9am.

North Two East leaders Westoe will be doing everything to make sure their home game against bottom club Morpeth goes ahead as they don't wish to build up a fixture backlog ahead of next week's Powergen Intermediate Cup semi-final at Staines.

They also want to stay ahead of Huddersfield, who visit Hartlepool Rovers and are one point behind with a game in hand.

Stockton, who have to play Westoe in the Durham Cup, have called off today's home match against Sandal and rearranged it for March 19.