Richardson gets an extended opportunity

The former Stockton No 10 played at fly half and full back during his time with the Newcastle Academy, but has recently found himself on the wing for Mowden.

He now has the opportunity to show whether he is as close as Bedworth to becoming a playmaker in the class of Kevan Oliphant, whose career was ended by injury 16 months ago.

Mowden should record a sixth successive win at home to Preston Grasshoppers, where they won 38-25 a month ago in a match in which Richardson took over fly half and kicking duties when Bedworth suffered an ankle injury after 50 minutes.

He recovered to play against Kendal the following week, but then tore a hamstring after 30 minutes at Tynedale a fortnight ago.

Academy boys Steve Jones and Ameer Ladhar are selected on the wings tomorrow, with Andy Foreman having to settle for a place on the bench.

Gareth Kerr and Martyn Bray are retained at centre as both are showing the right spirit and a keenness to play for the club.

There is no sign of Martin Shaw returning from Newcastle, and with the deadline for registrations in mid-February Mowden will want to know what the Falcons' plans for him are in the next few weeks.

With prop Danny Brown out for at least one more week, Mowden will field the same pack as at Tynedale, with Jonny Boatman on the bench in place of Luke Monument.

Darlington have only long-term casualty Dave Haswell missing for the trip to Tynedale. Skipper Paul Lee is back after injury at fly half and flanker Andy Carphin is returning from Ireland to play.

Darlington could do with recording their first away win in National Three North fairly soon as they want to be safe before entertaining Mowden on March 20.

That's the start of a tough run-in, featuring Waterloo and Blaydon away before signing off with Halifax at home.

Middlesbrough, second in North Two East, visit fifth-placed Bridlington with John Buddington back at tight head in place of the unavailable Dale Sawdon.

Ex-colt Neil Parkin has his first taste of senior duty on the bench, where he is joined by winger Lee Davies returning after injury. Ian Bircham continues at fly half as student Ali Little is away.

West Hartlepool will entertain several of their former players, among them prop Paul Beal and centre Jamie Connolly, who took over from Beal this season as Redcar's coach. The visitors are one spot below sixth-placed West.

Although Northallerton have lost centre Ben Allerton, who has gone home to South Africa, they hope to be back to virtually full strength for the top-of-the-table battle at home to Castleford in Yorkshire Three.

They were ordered to play their delayed match at Wath-on-Dearne last Saturday, and although they made their longest league trip of the season with a half-strength team they won 17-9.

* Samoan flanker Soa Otuvaka, who played for Newcastle Falcons and Mowden Park last season, has been awarded £25,000 by the Professional Rugby Players' Association after his career was ended by illness.

Otuvaka, who has a wife and two young children, collapsed when playing for Mowden in the Durham Cup final last season and recently had an operation to remove a brain tumour.

His condition remains serious, and PRA chief executive Damian Hopley said: "We are liaising regularly with his family to make sure he gets the treatment he needs. We just hope this payment will go some way to ensuring that is the case."

* A second-half burst by Saracens at Vicarage Road condemned Leeds Tykes to their ninth Zurich Premiership defeat of the season, as they went down 27-3.

Two Thomas Castaignede penalties compared to one Gordon Ross effort in the first half gave second-from-bottom Saracens a 6-3 half-time advantage but after the break they took complete control to move within two points of the Yorkshiremen in the table. Castaignede converted a penalty try before crossing himself 16 minutes later.

In the final minute the home side made the points safe with a converted Raphael Ibanez try.