DURHAM'S three national league clubs have seen their hopes of having the county cup final played next week scuppered by Westoe.

Following their exertions at Twickenham on Saturday, the South Shields club have opted to go along with the county's much-criticised plans to play the semi-final next Wednesday and the final on June 1.

Blaydon agreed to host Darlington tonight (7pm) with the intention of playing the final next week, and are still going ahead with the arrangement, despite having to field a severely weakened side.

Darlington Mowden Park also wanted to play their semi at Westoe tonight but are resigned to waiting a week and sorting out plans for the final if they win.

Blaydon still need a point to be sure of National Three North survival, so they are planning to field a second team tonight, while Darlington have only four of their first-choice line-up missing.

"This is making a mockery of the cup," said Blaydon spokesman Jim Huxley. "It could become a case of the last team to pull out wins it.

"We agreed to play this week to avoid having the final on June 1 and we felt we should not drop out. The second team players said they would honour the tie even if they risk getting a hiding."

Mowden's team secretary Jim Dyson said: "Playing the final on June 1 is crazy. The whole thing has become a fiasco. Our backs coach, Kevan Oliphant, told them at the start of the season what would happen. He said then it would be better to play it pre-season."

If the two Darlington teams get through to the final there is every chance they will opt to play it as a pre-season match in August.

Darlington are hoping to have lock Richard Snowball back after injury tonight, but will be without the Oselton brothers, Joe and Dan, flanker Martin Howe and centre Craig Lee.

Flanker Michael Taylor is expected to have recovered from the leg injury he suffered on Saturday, while centre Lee Davies returns after helping Yorkshire reach the semi-finals of the County Under 20 Championship. They will be at home to Gloucestershire on May 7.

The Durham Intermediate Cup final between Billingham and Durham City is to be held on May 4 at a venue to be decided.

l Percy Park won the Northern Clubs Under 18 Championship when they beat Mowden Park 18-0 in the final. Mowden trailed 18-0 before Jason Todd dropped a goal and full back Jason Fox added a try.