THERE is a big contrast in playing resources as the two Darlington clubs open their season with Powergen Cup ties today. Mowden Park have registered all the Newcastle Falcons Academy players and have three of them in the team and two on the bench for the visit of Kendal.

But there are few new faces at Darlington, who will get an early taste of what to expect in National Division Three North as they visit Blaydon, who have signed 21 new players.

"It will be a hard match, especially as Blaydon have done a bit of rebuilding," said Darlington coach Phil Lancaster.

"We will have to make our spirit and teamwork count and we will get to know a bit more about each other."

Lancaster will be on the bench with Ali Carter making a first team comeback at prop after several seasons in the seconds.

Other changes from last season see Nick Pritchard coming in at blind side on his return to the club after being away at university, while ex-colt Vinnie Patterson is on the right wing and Graham Haswell at full back.

Haswell's brother David could be entrusted with the goal-kicking, which threatens to be a problem for the team. Craig Lee will provide the back-up. Del Lewis switches to No 8 as Bryan Dixon's work commitments prevent him from playing, although he has not officially retired and could feature later in the season.

"We will use Bryan in a coaching capacity, but he will probably want to get his playing kit on," said Lancaster. "We are happy with Del at No 8 - he has worked hard and is looking extremely fit."

Mowden are already without Richard Arnold, James Tyrell, Chris Mattison and Iain Dixon through injury, while Vaha Faleovalu has so far been unable to return from Tonga because of visa problems.

But they are still able to name a seven-man bench of real quality, which includes academy boy Mark Laycock, whose appearances for West Hartlepool last season were all too rare. Teessider Dave Richardson is at full back, where he made a couple of Premiership appearances for the Falcons before his cruciate ligament injury ended his top-flight career.

Tom McLaren, the EU-qualified Australian signed from Blaydon, is joined in the back row by Tony Irwin and Jason Smithson, with two more academy boys in the backs in Nick Hooper and Amiver Ladhar.

Darlington: G Haswell, V Patterson, D Haswell, C Lee, F Coulson, P Lee (capt), R Stewart, D Miller, D Osleton, A Carter, M Dilworth, R Snowball, N Pritchard, M Howe, D Lewis. Replacements: P Lancaster, R Goddard, R Taylor, B Snook, T McIntee.

Mowden Park: D Richardson, A Phillipson, N Hooper, S Mitchell, A Ladhar, M Bedworth, R Holbrough, D Brown, T Tuhana, D Sinclair, Kelekolio Paino, I Robinson, T McLaren, T Irwin, J Smithson. Replecements: I Keeligan, C Strong, J Dye, J Boatman, A Foreman, A Buist, M Laycock.

Below national level the league programme kicks off with no North-East teams in North One, but eight in North Two East, as well as York and Bridlington on the fringes of the region.

The first derby sees Middlesbrough entertain Stockton. Former Stockton player and coach John Moore, a senior RFU coach, is now in charge at Acklam Park. Lee Richardson, elder brother of the new Mowden full back, has also made the switch, returning to his original club.

Ian Bircham has returned from Acklam and the squad features several ex-colts in lock Tom Ellis, back row man Mark Kerriush, fly half Ross McNeill and winger Ian Davies.

Flanker Gavin Fingland is the new captain, while new groundsman John Buddington, from Sunderland, is at prop.

Horden start at home to promoted Northern, while Morpeth visit Redcar, who have signed Jamie Connolly from West Hartlepool as player-coach.

West, captained by flanker Tim Sawyer, entertain Sandal, who have been relegated with them for each of the last two seasons.