COUNTY cup rules have scuppered Darlington Mowden Park's plans to give Jonathan Golightly his debut at Consett today.

Anyone playing in the Durham Challenge Cup must have appeared at least once for the club and Golightly was unable to play for the second team last week following a car accident.

The other new signing, winger Steve Jones, did play for the seconds and makes his senior debut at Consett as Mowden begin their bid to win the cup for the fourth successive season.

The absence of Golightly, the former Durham School and West Hartlepool fly half, means Kevan Oliphant takes his usual place in a strong line-up which proves Mowden are not taking Consett lightly.

They know their hosts will be fired up by coach Eddie Bell, who has not forgotten how Mowden dispensed with his services three years ago.

The club can easily justify their decision by the fact that they have progressed more quickly since deciding to employ Oliphant and Dave Mitchell as player-coaches, initially helped by Anthony Elwine. But Bell deeply resented the manner of his dismissal.

The only change from the full-strength pack sees Ian James switch to blind side in place of Tony Irwin, while Mick Kent returns on the wing with Chris Mattison on the bench.

With Danny Brown unavailable, the other replacements are front row men John Hodgson and Paul Brooks, plus former Bedford flanker Giles Mitchell.

James will revert to lock next week as Steve Sanderson is unavailable for the North One match away to Hull Ionians.

Mowden will be keeping a close eye on Blaydon's Intermediate Cup result at Aldwinians as the fifth round is scheduled for January 6, when Blaydon are due to visit Yiewsley Drive.

If that match had to be postponed it would leave a three-week gap in Mowden's fixtures as they have been unable to reschedule any of their three outstanding league games for December 23 or 30.

Blaydon are confident they can include Tongan No 8 Soa Otuvaka in their plans following his failure to earn a contract with Leeds.

The Tykes gave him a trial and he took the field as a replacement in one match, which means he has now exhausted his ration of three clubs in one season, having started at Tynedale.

North Division registrar Bob Archer, who has found himself at the centre of a rumpus with Blaydon in the past, is of the opinion that Otuvaka cannot go back to either of the North-East clubs this season.

But Blaydon have been assured by a Twickenham official that they may select the Tongan if they wish.

Darlington were left without a game last night when Gateshead opted out of their county cup tie at Blackwell Meadows.

The Tynesiders reported that several players had cried off and they felt the game would be a mis-match.

Darlington will switch their third team match to the main pitch and the England v South Africa match will be shown on the big screen in the clubhouse.

Newcastle Falcons' Premiership match at London Irish, originally scheduled for today, is to be played on Tuesday night, which means the teams will meet twice in five days.

The Irish visit Kingston Park next Sunday for the Tetley's Bitter Cup quarter-final and will be without two internationals in full back Conor O'Shea and flanker Kieron Dawson, who are injured.

The Falcons are not looking for a transfer fee for unsettled centre John Leslie, who is talking to several other clubs.

Although last season's Scotland captain insists he never expected to command an automatic first-team place, he has clearly had a difference of opinion with the management.

Rob Andrew is very happy with his young centre pairing of Jamie Noon and Tom May and does not wish to break them up at the moment.

Leslie is unlikely to be joining his brother Martin, the Scotland flanker, at Edinburgh Reivers, who feel they would be unable to meet his wage demands