THE two Darlington clubs will be hoping to score plenty of tries rather than rely on goal-kicking when they begin their National Three North campaigns today.

After losing the prolific Mark Bedworth to Wharfedale, Mowden Park are likely to hand the kicking duties to full back Michael Breen for the visit of Preston Grasshoppers.

It's a recurring problem for Darlington, who visit Fylde. They signed two kickers last season, only for Andrew Turner to return to Horden, while David Kell has gone back to Gateshead, where he is currently injured.

Centre Ben Snook wants to do the job for Darlington, but he has not yet returned from holiday so ex-Stockton player Simon Crozier gets an early chance at centre and either Craig Lee or Fijian full back Apeni Kororua will take the kicks.

Both clubs have an unchanged coaching set-up but have recruited a few new players, although Mowden have been unable to entice Dave Richardson back from Middlesbrough to join his scrum half brother Shaun.

They have signed a French centre who will miss the first two weeks with a foot injury, while a Catterick-based Fijian winger is unavailable for the first two matches.

A Samoan international centre is due next week, along with two South Africans to replace last season's pair, Naude Pretorius and Michael Georgiou, who are now playing in Wales.

Jonny Golightly will be at fly half after playing only a handful of games in the last two seasons through injury.

Dave Sinclair has returned from New Zealand but has to settle for a place on the bench with fellow prop Ian Keeligan as Mowden have gone for mobility.

Peni Fakalelu will start after spending most of last season on the bench and it is hoped Danny Brown will be regularly available, along with another local product, lock Luke Monument.

Former Barnard Castle School and England Under 19s prop Ross Batty, who can also play in the back row, has joined and will be on the bench.

Crozier for Snook is the one change in the Darlington side from the one which won the Durham Cup final against Westoe ten days ago.

They have still not been awarded the trophy as the county were not happy about Alan Brown, newly-signed from Stockton, playing in the final, even though he wasn't cup-tied.

Player-coach Craig Lee said: "It's a shambles, but we're only interested in the league now. At least the cup final was good preparation and we've had some good training sessions with everyone there."

With the Oselton brothers, Dan and Joe, unavailable, Darlington will have Paul Shepherd at prop and South African David Taylor hooking with Michael Stowe and Ali Carter on the bench, where they will be joined by David Andrew.

The new signings include Barnard Castle School flanker Phil Dawson, who is with the Newcastle Falcons Academy, who are helping to sort out registration difficulties.

Another back row man, 20-year-old Stuart Palmer, from Hartlepool, has also signed, along with Teessider Andrew Harston, 24, a lock who has played for Rotherham's second team.

Blaydon, who kick-off at home to Tynedale, field only four of the team which played in the equivalent match last season.

They have restored Nick Gandy to his former role as Director of Rugby and he has brought back former Steve Gustard to help out, while experienced signings Martin Shaw and ex-Orrell lock Dave Whitehead will also double up with coaching duties.

The Segi brothers from Samoa, centre Sou and flanker Pat, are both in the team, along with Croatia-born prop Ivan Nola.

Others making their debuts are full back Michael Campbell, a teacher from Cambridge, ex-Newcastle and Borders winger Joe Pattison, young winger James Kyle from Sunderland, ex-Harrogate lock Paul Clark and last season's Northumberland captain Ed Thorp.

Blaydon, who had 54 at training on Thursday night, will again be captained by Dave Guthrie.

Stockton have several injuries ahead of their Powergen National Trophy preliminary round tie at home to Rochdale.

With Dan Taylor out with a broken thumb and Steve Thornton unavailable, Tom Jeffrey and Peter Armstrong are at centre.

Former Mowden Park hooker Tasi Tuhana, who returned home to New Zealand at the end of last season, has accepted a role as player-coach at Consett and will be at prop for today's Durham and Northumberland division one opener at Ryton.

Former Newcastle Falcons hooker Billy Balshen is playing at inside centre and New Zealander Dan Kavanagh will make his debut at fly half, alongside South African Bernie de Beer.

Darlington: A Kororua, A Kibirige, S Crozier, C Lee, F Coulson, P Lee (capt), R Stewart, D Miller, D Taylor, P Shepherd, M Taylor, R Snowball, D Lewis, M Howe, A Brown

Mowden Park: M Breen, J Tyrell, M Howland, I Dixon (capt), G Kerr, J Golightly, S Richardson, D Brown, M Darlington, P Fakalelu, L Monument, I Robinson, M Holmes, M Wright, J Smithson

Blaydon: M Campbell, J Pattison, S Segi, M Shaw, J Kyle, D Clappison, N Williams, P Winter, M Hall, I Nola, D Whitehead, P Clark, D Guthrie (capt), P Segi, E Thorp.

Stockton: A Bare, R Brown, T Jeffrey, P Armstrong, T Armstrong, J Good, O Jenkins, J Sill, D Muirhead, S Brown, K Etherington, M Skirving, D Moulder, W Brown, I Todd.