Birtley Town, who have already won the Monkwearmouth Charity Cup, aim to reach their second final when they host Darlington RA in the Sunderland Shipowners' Cup this afternoon.

Following an indifferent start to the season, Birtley are the in-form side.

"We will have to play better than we did at Harton and Westoe on Wednesday, when we conceded three second-half goals," said RA manager David Woodcock. "Birtley are on song and we will need a top-drawer performance if we are to go through."

The visitors expect to have Michael Carter and Gary Hornsby returning while Birtley are boosted by the availability of the experienced Paul Bryson. Manager Dave Smith is confident that Kevin Murphy will be able to line up at the centre of the defence.

Wolviston travel to Jarrow in the other semi-final. Boss Graham Howard anticipates having a full squad to choose from and his only doubt is Gary Crawley.

Graeme Watson, Paul Roberts and Andy Smith all come into his plans and Jarrow's only absentee is Mark Diamond, but Gary Atwell is an ideal replacement.

Leaders North Shields, who have been dismissed from the three domestic cup competitions, hope to extend their advantage by winning at Stokesley SC.

The Robins were without David Little and Paul Ross in the mid-week victory at Annfield Plain and Paul Symons, who has scored some vital goals since signing for the club, is expected to return to the attack.

Stokesley have Mattie Homan taking over from the unavailable Stephen Pennock.

Harton and Westoe, buoyed by their splendid mid-week victory over Darlington RA, host Annfield Plain with Eddie Hudspith, Stephen Liddle and Karl King added to the squad.

Boldon manager Norman Hunter reports that Patrick James is doubtful with a leg injury for the visit of Whitehaven and that Russell Bell will probably miss out because of work commitments. Martin Foster, though, is hopeful of making the starting line-up.

Ryhope CW inflicted a damaging defeat on Redcar Town in midweek and are confident of maintaining winning form at Cleadon SC, Joe Thompson, David Ashplant and Kevin Bennison all coming into the thoughts of manager Ronnie Crosby.

l The Football League reacted angrily yesterday to ITV Digital's latest attempt to solve the game's television contract crisis.

It has emerged that the channel's administrators faxed the League's lawyers late on Thursday with an increase of just £10m on their original offer to salvage the deal.

The League is owed £178.5m for the last two years of their £315m three-year-deal, but ITV Digital's latest offer still leaves them £118.5m short.

Furthermore, the new offers includes a new condition that Granada, Carlton and their directors are released from any threat of a damages claim from the League.

A League source said: ''The offer that has been put to us from the administrators does not meet the needs of the clubs. The administrators are purely fiddling around with the margins. It would take a substantive increase to solve this dispute.''

The League are pressing ahead with plans to sue for £500m because they believe that ITV Digital's owners Granada and Carlton are liable for their debts.

Granada and Carlton have responded by placing ITV Digital into administration and are threatening to pull the plug on the company unless the League agrees to renegotiate the deal.

The League are continuing with their plan to shame the television giants into honouring their deal.

They have employed a lobbyist who has urged all First Division chairmen to pressure their constituency MPs into calling for a resolution to the conflict, which has left many Nationwide League clubs with uncertain futures.