Darlington are resigned to being without experienced flanker Martin Howe for a month because of a thigh injury, but are confident their Newcastle Academy player, Phil Dawson, can do the job at open side.

Dawson has come up through the club's junior ranks and has shown his versatility by filling in at centre as well as in the back row this season.

"He did a good job last week and he's chomping at the bit to play, so we're happy to have him in there," said player-coach Craig Lee.

Prop Dan Miller, who has played for the Newcastle Development XV in their last two matches, picked up a slight knee injury on Monday but expects to be fit for tomorrow's home match against New Brighton.

Joe Oselton will provide cover on the bench following his return from New Zealand and will be joined by Rob Goddard, who can play at hooker or in the back row.

Lee will be back at centre after missing last week's cup win at New Brighton, who expect to field a stronger team this time but are already looking like relegation candidates.

Darlington will have Simon Crozier back on the wing in place of Adam Kibirige, who suffered a hamstring injury last week.

Darlington Mowden Park have signed powerful Fijian Tabuanitoga Cakacaka on a short-term contract and he will make his debut in tomorrow's match at Cleckheaton.

A good ball-handler capable of playing in the back row or at centre, he has signed from Gateshead Thunder for eight weeks before going off to play in France.

He could play at blind side if a back injury suffered by Mark Darlington at Blaydon last week forces Junior Fagalilo to switch to hooker.

Otherwise Cakacaka will slot in at inside centre as Frenchman Rodrigue Gouinnet, who managed half a game last week, is still troubled by a foot injury.

Pieter Booysen, who replaced him at half-time at Blaydon, switches to his preferred position of fly half as Jonny Golightly is unavailable.

Booysen will also take over the goal-kicking, which has proved costly for Mowden in three tight games so far.

Of the two recent recruits from Blaydon, Gavin Stainsby is still out with a hand injury and Ricky Bagier is unavailable, so Andrew Tonkin is likely to start at open side.

Mowden won at Cleckheaton during their impressive survival run at the end of last season and should be confident of a repeat after the West Yorkshire club lost their last league match 74-10 at Blaydon.

Blaydon prop Ivan Nola has been called up by Croatia to play in their World Cup qualifier against Serbia-Montenegro and misses tomorrow's visit of high-flying Leicester Lions.

His place goes to Paul McLaren-Dorrington, an ex-Vale of Lune and Lancashire Under 21s player, while Pat Segi starts in the back row after taking over when skipper Dave Guthrie was injured against Mowden Park last week.

Guthrie hopes to be back for next week's Powergen National Trophy fourth round tie away to Coventry-based Broadstreet, when it is also hoped another back row man, Ed Thorpe, will return.

Michael Campbell resumes at full back tomorrow in place of Nick Gandy.

Middlesbrough visit Chester in North One and switch Andrew Baggett to centre as Dave Richardson is injured, with Ross McNeill coming in at full back.

Hooker Richard Horton, who was on the bench last week, will start this time and prop Craig Chapman starts his comeback from injury on the bench.

Stockton hope to get off the mark in North Two East at home to West Hartlepool.

Jeremy Good returns at fly half with Tom Armstrong reverting to the wing, and props Simon Brown and Jono Sill are also back.

Dave Moulder will be at open side and Dave Cowell retains his place at full back.