AFTER having a glut of wingers to choose from a few weeks ago, Darlington suddenly find that five of them are unavailable for today's match at home to Sandal.

They have suspended Mark Butler for one match because of the punch which earned him a red card against Morley two weeks ago.

When Paul Beattie was trying to force his way back into the side a few weeks ago, Frankie Coulson and Paul Heslop were the men in possession.

But Coulson's leg injury is proving slow to mend, while Heslop is unavailable because of exams.

Marc Potts, who topped 400 points for the club three years ago, might have seized the chance to step in but his hamstring problem has cropped up again.

Also knocking on the door was Yorkshire's reserve wicketkeeper Simon Guy, who scored a try on his senior debut in a friendly at Morley. But Yorkshire have insisted that he plays no more rugby now that their pre-season work has begun. The upshot is that Graham Haswell will make his first start in North One alongside his brother David, while the only other change from the team beaten at Cleckheaton sees Del Lewis return to the back row.

After being relegated with West Hartlepool last season, Sandal's only win this term has been at home to West and they stand on minus two points after having four deducted for failing to fulfil fixtures.

Today's game should have been played on September 7, but the Wakefield-based club were having trouble fielding a front row at the time.

Darlington Mowden Park are also at home to the bottom club in their division, with Scunthorpe's only win in National Three North coming at Hull Ionians.

Both Darlington clubs are at home again next week, when Mowden should be confident of another win against Liverpool St Helens, who have slipped into the bottom half.

Following last week's victory at Broadstreet, the prospect of three successive wins is very welcome for Mowden as they seek to put any relegation worries behind them.

Centre Jonno Wilson faces a fitness test after straining a hamstring in scoring his late try at Broadstreet. If he isn't fit Chris Strong could switch from hooker, where he has been selected again with Ian Keeligan on the bench.

Chris Mattison has a calf injury, so Steve Jones returns on the left wing, with James Tyrrell switching to the right.

Mowden could swap their flankers over, with skipper Aaron Redaelli at open side and Vaha Falovalu reverting to No 6.

West Hartlepool have a rearranged game in North One at Aspatria, the only team they have beaten in the league this season.

West recall Stuart Bennett to the back row in place of Tim Sawyer, who scored two tries in last week's defeat at Morley but was unable to attend training on Thursday.

* Emmanuel College, Gateshead, won the Lyne Mock Memorial Trophy when they beat Hartlepool Sixth Form College 10-7 in the final at Gateshead. The Hartlepool team had won the under 18 event for Durham County state schools/colleges in five of the last six years.