Darlington'S player-coaches Phil Lancaster and Craig Lee will not be taking their opponents lightly when their old club, West Hartlepool, visit Blackwell Meadows in North Division One tomorrow.

While West are in freefall and apparently heading for their fifth successive relegation, Lancaster pointed out: "They had a good win against Aspatria last week and our players know they can't take anything for granted.

"We will be looking to maintain our commitment, passion and confidence after our win at Morley last week.

"To go away and turn over an unbeaten side was excellent. We have lost a couple of games by two points, but at Morley we showed that if you put in that little bit extra you get your reward.

"It was an important game for us and now we can look at the league table and see that there's not much in it."

Seven years ago, when Lancaster captained West and passed 100 top-flight games for the club, they were seven divisions above Darlington.

"It's not the same now," said the 38-year-old former North prop. "John Stabler and Jamie Connolly are still there, otherwise it's completely different from the club I used to play at.

"We hope to be selecting from a full-strength squad, with Richard Snowball back after injury. Paul Lee and Paul Radford both had to go off last week, but hopefully they'll be OK.

"We have brought a few youngsters in recently and they have done very well, with Dave Haswell looking a very good find at centre. Kieron Thompson has done well at full back, Richard Taylor looks a good prospect at lock and Dave Inman is a 100 per cent player.

"His tackle count is phenomenal. He prefers the back row but we have used him at lock and it reflects the philosophy we have had for a couple of years that outside the set piece everyone is a rugby player and can play wherever."

Darlington thrashed West in the county cup semi-final last season and West opted out a month ago when they were due to visit Blackwell Meadows in the preliminary round of the Powergen Cup.

In North Two East Stockton visit Scarborough for the first time in league combat, hoping to prevent their hosts from gaining only their second win of the season.

But Stockton will be without their inspirational player-coach Alan Brown, who suffered a knee injury in last week's draw against Horden.

Ian Todd takes over at No 8, and Andy Bare deputises on the wing for Pedro Salahshouri, who has a shoulder injury.

Into the squad for the first time comes former colts skipper Peter Armstrong, whose father, also Peter, is an ex first team captain.

Middlesbrough have a few injury worries for their tough match away to third-placed Westoe, who have won their last five games.

Ian Bradford broke an ankle last week and will be replaced at lock by Mark O'Halloran, while there are also doubts about scrum half Peter Wright (shoulder), centre Danny Bishop (hamstring) and full back Mark Foster (thigh).

In National Division Three North, Blaydon will again try Colin Duncan at fly half for the visit of bottom club Scunthorpe following his promising display in last week's win at Darlington Mowden Park.

Former Mowden hooker Tasi Tuhana returns to the squad, along with utility back Nick Gandy and winger James O'Malley, who could come in for the unavailable Chris Nunn.

* Teessiders Steve Jones, Shaun Richardson and Chris Hyndman are among five Newcastle Academy players in the North Under 21 squad to play East France at Marcoussis, near Paris, on November 13. They are joined by forwards Geoff Parling and Ben Woods.