Darlington Mowden Park are on the look-out for a new scrum half as skipper Richard Holborough is out for at least three weeks.

Both he and centre Mark Bedworth have a similar hamstring complaint, which appears to be connected with the lower back.

Holborough, who is training to be a doctor, is awaiting the results of an X-ray and among those Mowden are likely to approach during his absence is Andy Foreman.

It was largely because he wanted to play at scrum half that Foreman left in November to play alongside his two brothers at Hartlepool Rovers.

Bedworth is to see a specialist and will also be out for at least three more weeks, while No 8 Paul Evans could also be sidelined for some time with a slipped disc.

The return of Tongan Kelekolio Paino could more than compensate for the loss of Evans if he is given the all-clear by a specialist on Monday.

With Dave Sinclair about to leave for New Zealand, Danny Brown will be at tight head in tomorrow's home match against Dudley Kingswinford.

Hooker Tasi Tuhana is to complete the season before returning home to New Zealand and Mowden will hope that he avoids a return to the sin-bin after visiting it in the last two games.

Only Blaydon, with 11, have picked up more yellow cards in National Three North than Mowden, although only one of Mowden's ten has been for foul play.

Darlington have had eight in total, with six for foul play, while the lowest tally of three is shared by leaders Halifax and Tynedale.

Darlington's only doubt for tomorrow's visit to Fylde is fly half Paul Lee, who limped off with a recurrence of his hamstring trouble in the last match at home to New Brighton.

Prop Joe Oselton, full back David Kell and utility back Ben Snook all return to the squad, while prop Paul Shepherd and centre Tosh McIntee are back in training.

There are also hopes that Northumbria University flanker Andy Carphin will return at the end of the month as things have not worked out for him at Harrogate.

Tynedale will hope that full back Will Massey continues his prolific form in the home match against second-placed Macclesfield.

He is the league's second highest try scorer with nine behind Kendal winger Jon Ladell, and since taking over the goal-kicking when Phil Belgian was injured he has taken his points tally to 119. Only Bradford and Bingley goal-kicker Tom Rhodes is ahead of him.

Blaydon will rely on their forward strength to earn them a third successive win on the Kendal quagmire.

After easing their relegation worries in North One with a win against Birkenhead Park, Middlesbrough make one change for the trip to Vale of Lune.

Dave Richardson returns at fly half to play between his two brothers, Shaun and Lee, although Shaun will face pressure for the scrum half berth in two weeks, when Peter Wright should be fit to return.

Club captain Gavin Fingland continues in the second team, with Mark Kerruish retaining his place at open side. Neil Baggett switches from fly half to full back, with Simon Moore on the bench.

In a contest involving mainly second teamers Stockton won their match at Middlesbrough for the Alan Todd Memorial Trophy 22-17, but paid a heavy price with first team centre Mattie Oates breaking a leg in two places. They also have hooker Danny Muirhead out with cracked ribs.

Steve Thornton returns in place of Oates for tomorrow's North Two East match at Redcar, who won at Stockton in mid-November.

* Alex Tait, brother of Newcastle Falcons star Mathew Tait, is one of four Barnard Castle Schoolboys in the England Under 18 squad of 72 for the final selection at Broad Street, Leicestershire, this weekend. The others are Ross Batty and Phil Dawson, both with the Newcastle Academy, plus Tom Visser.

Also involved are St Peter's, York pair James Marsden and Peter Wackett, Newcastle RGS's Tom Jokelson, Hamish Smales of Sedbergh School and Tynedale, and the Falcons' Oliver Tomaszczyk.

The North Under 16s squad for the Divisional Festival at Castlecroft this weekend includes Calum Clarke (Richmond School), Ian Hodson (Barnard Castle), Michael Young (Brierton), Alex Leigh and Will MacCauley (both Yarm).