Darlington are hoping their season follows its usual pattern and they can put a winning run together in National Three North.

While other clubs have heavy casualty lists, they emerged unscathed from last week's excellent 40-12 home win against Cleckheaton and visit third-placed Tynedale full of heart tomorrow.

"We seem to suffer at the start of the season and this is when we put a bit of a run together," said player-coach Craig Lee.

"The second team are doing well in their league. They have lost some Catterick-based Fijians to the Black Watch, but there are a couple of very useful ones still in there, and the rest are local lads who should be able to step up to the first team.

"Fraser Monohan had good reports in the seconds and he stepped up and did really well on the wing last week. He enjoyed it and got involved, which is a bonus at that age."

An unchanged squad will go to Tynedale, where similar tactics will be employed to those which transformed last week's game, with the rolling maul playing a key part.

"If it's done properly there's no way of stopping it," said Lee. "Once we took control last week we were able to start exploiting the gaps out wide.

"We targeted Tynedale as one of the teams to beat, and even though they have done better than expected we still feel we can win after being robbed up there last year."

Darlington Mowden Park have signed Mick Martin, an Irish prop who is working locally and could be involved at home to Rugby Lions.

Although both are prepared to play, neither Ian Keeligan nor Dave Sinclair is fully fit and the same applies to lock Ian Robinson and centre Martin Shaw.

Robinson could be rested if Luke Monument is available, but hopes of borrowing Newcastle Academy players have been dashed by a match being arranged at Sale on Monday for the Falcons Development XV.

Mowden still hope they might be offered a winger so they can switch Fosita Tanginoa back to blind side.

Middlesbrough gain one Richardson but lose another for the visit of Vale of Lune in North One. Dave is back at fly half, but Shaun is injured so Martin Featherstone returns at centre.

Prop Chris Horton also returns and Phil Tilson is at lock, with Gareth Lodge switching to blind side as Dean Gardner goes to No 8 with Ian Bradford unavailable. With both clubs on two points, this is a match Boro need to win.

Stockton entertain Redcar in North Two East with both clubs on six points. Recent clashes have been close, with Redcar usually having the edge up front and Stockton are not helped in that department by Alan Brown being unavailable. Centre Mattie Oates is also missing, so Phil Austen and Jamie Hauxwell come in.

With Morpeth looking to break their duck at home to West Hartlepool, the losers of the Horden v Hartlepool Rovers match are in danger of slipping to bottom spot.

* Westoe, the North-East's only survivors in the fourth round of the Powergen Intermediate Cup, have been drawn away to Driffield on November 27.

In the Junior Vase Northallerton's run of six home games has ended with a trip to Pocklington, while Sunderland entertain Merseyside club Sefton. Gosforth are away to Netherall and Scarborough visit the University of Derby.

* Darlington's James Snowball is on the bench for the Yorkshire Under 19s' match against North Midlands at Goole on Sunday.

* A North-East Universities XV, coached by Falcons Academy duo John Fletcher and Peter Walton, are to entertain Oxford University at Durham City on November 27 (2pm).