LIAM Botham's slide down the pecking order at Newcastle continued yesterday when he was left out of the squad for tomorrow's match at home to Sale.

Even with Inga Tuigamala sidelined after an elbow operation, there is no place on the wing for Botham, who deputised for Tom May at centre in Tuesday's defeat by Harlequins.

May returns to partner Jamie Noon tomorrow and Michael Stephenson is back on the right wing in place of Gareth Maclure, who is preferred on the bench to Botham.

Epi Taione continues to fill Tuigamala's shoes on the left wing, but possibly not for long as the Samoan was quickly back in training after having his long-awaited operation two days after the Tetley's Bitter Cup triumph at Twickenham.

With Gary Armstrong and Jonny Wilkinson restored at half back, David Walder reverts to full back and could find himself opposed by Jason Robinson.

The ex-Rugby League star hardly saw the ball on the wing when Sale visited Kingston Park in the Tetley's semi-final, but apparently made several telling runs when he played at full back in Tuesday's defeat at Leicester.

After tomorrow the Falcons have only one more home game, against London Irish on April 1, and four away. So they need to beat Sale to stay comfortably on course for a place in the play-offs.

They lie sixth, but have Bristol and London Irish breathing down their necks, so cannot afford any more slip-ups at home.

But Rob Andrew still feels able to leave international forwards Stuart Grimes, George Graham and Ross Nesdale on the bench.

Richard Arnold is ruled out by an Achilles strain, so Jimmy Cartmel provides cover for the back row trio of Rob Devonshire, Andrew Mower and Jim Jenner.

Following the postponement of England's game against Ireland on March 24, Newcastle are trying to rearrange their midweek visit to Wasps for that date.

Darlington Mowden Park are expecting an instant response to last week's below-par display when they entertain Macclesfield in North One.

While taking nothing away from their neighbours, they put their 40-17 Durham Cup defeat at Darlington down to "a bad day at the office."

"I've never known so many players have a bad day at once," said team manager Jim Dyson. "Nearly all of them apologised for their performance, and hopefully we'll be able to turn it to our advantage."

While keeping the same pack, Mowden will not be able to finalise their backs until this morning. It was hoped that Tony Elwine would arrive back from the United States last night and would be available to shore up the centre.

Mowden's midfield defence was found wanting last week, and Mark Bedworth was unable to reproduce the brilliant form he shows in training.

Full back Kevin McCallum faces a late fitness test, but Mick Kent has also developed a shoulder injury and is rated 50-50, while there is also a doubt about Jonny Golightly with a hamstring injury.

Darlington have the reverse problem of not treating their home game against Beverley as an anti-climax in North Two East.

But they have the incentive of securing home advantage in the play-off for promotion to North One and the only real threat in their remaining five league games is next week's visit to Redcar.

Richard Snowball is doubtful with a knee injury, so Mark Turnbull could join Sandy Fitzpatrick at lock, while Phil Lancaster will start on the bench, allowing Joe Osleton to return.

West Hartlepool return to action at Newbury after a week off, which allowed coach John Stabler to watch the Darlington v Mowden clash.

He knows that his team are likely to be in the same league as Mowden next season - National Three North - but was also taking the opportunity to watch several of his old West team-mates.

Two more will be in opposition today in the National Division One match at Wakefield, for whom 36-year-old Mick Watson returns after injury and he can expect to see Simon Mitchell in the London Welsh line-up.

The pair left West to join Harlequins seven years ago when they fell out with Australian coach Barry Taylor, who departed at roughly the same time.

Until then it had been a team of local players, and Stabler has worked hard to return to that but has paid heavily for the lack of experience.

l The foot-and-mouth crisis is starting to hit local rugby and threatens to add seriously to the fixture backlog.

Wigton have heeded Ministry of Agriculture advice to postpone today's trip to Stockton, and with the number of cases in their vicinity it's unlikely they will play for several weeks.

Both Blaydon and Darlington Mowden Park still have to fit in visits to the Cumbrian club and Mowden also have to play them at home.

Alnwick, with nine farmers in their team, yesterday called off their rearranged match at Darlington in two weeks.

That match could now have to wait until May, which would suit Darlington as they need to stay active until the expected promotion play-off on May 19