AFTER knocking Chester out of second place in National Three North last Saturday, Darlington Mowden Park must try to do the same to hosts Bradford and Bingley.

The Bees have moved one point ahead of Chester and are seven ahead of fourthplaced Mowden, who have a game in hand.

The ease of the 22-3 home win against Chester will have persuaded Mowden that they should be able to challenge for promotion, and if they win again they will be convinced of it.

One change has been made to the Mowden side which beat Chester, with Andy Wilson replacing Pete Taylor.

Taylor, head coach, said: “Bradford & Bingley have improved and deserve to be in the top group. Martin Whitcombe has certainly made an impact since his arrival and the lads know the importance of the game.

“We have obviously stuck with the lads who played so well against Chester and Andy Wilson’s inclusion strengthens us.”

Billingham, on the back of a 20-6 defeat against Penrith, need to bounce back against rivals Middlesbrough.

They find themselves ten points behind Boro, second bottom of National Three North going into this relegation clash.

Boro found their form last week with a hard fought 23- 14 win over Birkenhead Park. They will now be looking to complete the double over Billingham after earlier in the season they won 33-8 at Acklam Park.

Billingham are unchanged, while Thornburn returns for Middlesbrough on the wing, Paul Norris moves to the centre and Martin Featherstone to fly half.

After the surprise 17-0 defeat last week at Sedgley Park, Blaydon are some way off the pace for promotion, nine points off fourth-placed Macclesfield.

They entertain second bottom Cinderford with the game given the go ahead after worries it might have been called off due to frost.

There have been a few changes to the team which lost at Sedgley Park, with second row Gavin Jones replacing Andrew Archibald and back row Keith Lockwin dropping to the bench for Paul Vinnicombe. Jason Smith moves to No 6, Matt Clark comes back to No 13, Tom Rock moves to full back and Eddie Yarnton out to the wing.

In North One East, West Hartlepool host Northern looking to keep their advantage at the top of the league.

Hartlepool Rovers play host to Cleckheaton. Rovers, bottom of the table, come off the back of a morale-sapping 50- 10 defeat against Wheatley Park last week as Cleackheaton, third in the table, won their last game against Durham City by 34- 13.

Durham go into their game at home to Carlisle in a midtable battle with only two points between the seventh and eighth placed sides.

Darlington continue to look certain to finish second in Durham and Northumberland One and they will be well clear of third-placed Alnwick if they beat them at home.

Darlington won the away fixture by one point and the Northumberland club are not usually as big a threat on their travels.

Stockton visit Ashington, who are one place below them and will be seeking revenge for a 13-12 away defeat in early October.

Front-row men Simon Brown and Dan Muirhead should return for Stockton, but winger Ritchie Brown is still struggling with a knee injury and Andy Bare is working.

Speedy Dan Phinn comes off the bench and Luke Tinkler is called into the squad.

No 8 Scott Powell has been selected after an internal club disciplinary meeting felt that his red card for a first technical offence against Gosforth was sufficient punishment.