MICK Kent's year-round involvement with rugby has strengthened with the news that Teesside Steelers Rugby League Club will play in a new National League Three next summer.

The former Darlington Mowden Park captain is now player-coach at Consett during the winter but feels the time may have come to step down from playing the 13-a-side game to concentrate on coaching.

"I could do with a rest," he said. "I've been coaching and playing for Steelers for five years and it would be nice to bring some of the younger players on.

"We have done very well with the number of players we have got, but we'll need a bigger squad in the hope of running a development team.

"We will still be amateurs, but we will need to find more sponsorship to cover travelling costs because we will be playing teams like Hemel Hempstead, St Albans and Crawley.

"Phil Cooper, our chairman, has kept us going with the backing of his company, Ultimate Windows, but the players have never taken any travelling expenses.

"It would be nice to think we could make money out of it, but we're all in it for the love of the game."

Steelers have been the Summer Conference national champions and won the national cup in 2001 before going on to beat Edinburgh Eagles prior to last season to become British champions.

They play at Billingham and Kent urges anyone who is interested in helping in any way to contact the club captain, Lloyd Derby, on 01642 371019.

"Anyone who wants to play the game or is interested in helping in some other way would be very welcome," he said.

He is looking forward to having his assistant coach at Consett, Kieron Lawry, with the Steelers next season as he has played a lot of Rugby League.

Among the Mowden players who have tried their hand at the other code is Chris Strong, who after a summer with the Steelers wanted to convert from centre to hooker.

He has proved versatile enough to play in both positions, and Kent said: "He's a very good League player. He's a very strong runner and big hitter, and he's physically and mentally tough."

Kent is also keen to continue at Consett, who have won all 12 games in Durham and Northumberland Division One this season. Weather permitting, which seems unlikely, they are at home today to third-placed Houghton, who are coached by Kent's former Mowden teammates Gary Brown and Dave Davison.

Hooker Davison's career appeared to have been ended by a bad knee injury, but he has played for Houghton and has even been known to appear at fly half.

Mowden's match at home to Bedford Athletic in National Three North today is off following yesterday's pitch inspection.

RFU referee Derek Blake found that the pitch was still frostbound in places and would probably be waterlogged once the frost eased.

The match could be rearranged for February 15 or March 8, with last week's postponed game at Halifax already inked in for March 22.

Darlington have delayed a decision until this morning on whether their North One match at home to Morley can go ahead.

They are desperate for a game as they haven't played for three weeks and are away to leaders Cleckheaton next week.

With Frankie Coulson still struggling with a leg injury and Paul Heslop unavailable, they have named Mark Butler and Paul Beattie on the wings.

Phil Lancaster, who has had only 20 minutes' action as a replacement since November, is again on the bench as Dan Miller has yet to return to Bath