BLAYDON have decided not to take the risk of any ill feeling causing an early flare-up by leaving their two former Darlington Mowden Park players on the bench for today's clash at Crow Trees.

There is every likelihood that hooker Tasi Tuhana and centre Jonny Golightly will come on in the second half of the National Division Three North match, which kicks off at 3pm.

Golightly has started the last three games and will not be happy about reverting to a role he occupied all too often for Mowden.

Nick Gandy, normally a winger who deputised at fly half during James Lofthouse's absence, has been named at centre alongside Tim Green.

Paul Ritson takes over from Tuhana, who is on two yellow cards, which may also have entered Blaydon's thinking.

Golightly's pace off the mark might have proved a handful for the two big men in the centre for Mowden, Mick Kent and Mark Wilkinson, and they will still be wary of him if he comes on for the last 20 minutes in a tight match.

Mowden have had a clear edge on their Tyneside rivals for the last three years, but their back row advantage might not be so marked this time without the injured Tony Irwin.

Jonny Boatman received rave reviews, however, for his performance at blind side at Morley last week, and this will be a big weekend for the former Sunderland colt as he is also playing for Durham Under 20s against Cumbria at Durham City tomorrow (2.15).

Boatman arrived at Mowden for pre-season training, and while coach Dave Mitchell immediately realised his potential the youngster was warned he would be unlikely to get in the side this season.

But he stuck at it and has seized the chance presented by injuries and unavailability, with the Durham University students again ruled out because they have a BUSA Cup semi-final on Wednesday at Hollow Drift.

Mowden this week registered another student in Oliver Phillips, a threequarter, but have been forced to select a team which shows only one change with James Isaacson dropping to the bench after playing in midweek for the Newcastle Falcons Development XV.

They also wanted to have Luke Monument on the bench, but he is playing for the Rotherham Academy at Birmingham.

With the deadline for signings passing yesterday, there was no late flurry of activity at Blaydon either, although they did register James Kearney, a back row man from the Falcons Development squad.

He won't feature today, despite the unavailability of Jon Dye, as Charlie Roe comes in alongside Dave Guthrie and Andy Wright.

With Iain Dixon still injured, former Cheshire winger James Tyrrell retains his place, with James O'Malley on the other wing.

Darlington were relieved to discover yesterday that scrum half Rob Stewart's sending-off against Macclesfield had been deemed sufficient punishment by a disciplinary hearing.

The one enforced change for the 3pm kick-off at home to promotion rivals Hull Ionians sees Ian Todd come in at lock for Mark Power, who has dislocated his knee cap and will be out for six weeks.

There is no serious ligament damage, so he could be back for the last couple of games, which could include the Durham Cup final, scheduled for April 20.

If Darlington win today they will be four points behind Hull with two games in hand and a much superior points difference.

They also want to avoid any further defeats to have a good chance of home advantage in the promotion play-off against the runners-up in Midlands One, in which the teams chasing Broadstreet at the top have all suffered at least five defeats.

While prop Dan Miller will play in both games, two players who are on the bench for Durham Under 20s tomorrow are also among Darlington's replacements today.

Hooker Dan Osleton takes over from his brother to allow Joe a full game in the second team, while lock Tom Wilkinson, who has come up through the age groups, is involved at senior level for the first time.

West Hartlepool winger Gareth Kerr is another player facing a double-header, and his West colleagues face a tough time at home to Liverpool St Helens, who are chasing promotion.

Durham U20s: S Peel (D Univ), L Carr (Gateshead), K Wilson (Westoe), C Thwaites (D Univ), G Kerr (West Hartlepool), I Dobson (Darlington), C Mezger (D Univ), M Cook (West Hartlepool), A Whitaker (D Univ), D Miller (Darlington), J Haigh, A Gray (D Univ), H Johnson (Durham City), J Boatman (Mowden Park), B Redshaw (D Univ).

Replacements: D Osleton, T Wilkinson, D Smith (Darlington), K McKeown (Gateshead), D Smith (Hartlepool Rovers), R Emmerson, N Graves (D Univ).