Darlington can take a huge step towards National Three North safety by winning at home to Liverpool St Helens tomorrow.

The Merseysiders currently occupy the third relegation spot and victory would put Darlington five points ahead of them.

Flanker Andy Carphin and scrum half David Andrew return after missing last week's defeat at waterlogged Preston, and Darlington are giving serious thought to how they can make best use of having Andrew and Rob Stewart in the squad.

"They are both very good scrum halves, but Rob has the pace and strength to play out wide as well," said player-coach Craig Lee. "His defence is also very good."

Stewart played for the England Sevens team two years ago, and Lee added: "He specialises at sevens, which is all about space and time on the ball. He would get that at outside centre, which is a position where we might try him.

"In the last home game against New Brighton we picked up before David came on, but he helped us pick it up a bit more and Rob did really well out on the wing."

While Darlington won that match 23-17, Liverpool lost 20-3 at home to New Brighton last week and will be desperate to halt their slide.

Darlington Mowden Park visit bottom club Longton, where they expect to find a muddy pitch, which will hardly be ideal for the debut of Tongan international centre Suka Hufanga.

Richard Arnold is unlikely to travel as his wife is due to give birth, while Jon Dye and Tony Irwin are also unavailable.

Luke Monument, Eni Gisende and Jonny Boatman are the likely deputies, with Tim Wilks again providing back row cover.

Mowden have said goodbye to winger Chris Mattison, who has rejoined the club where he was once captain, Durham City.

With the clubs going in opposite directions when he made the switch, he helped Mowden gain national league status but has not been sure of a starting place this season.

City are currently next to the bottom of Durham and Northumberland One and will be grateful for Mattison's help. They are at home to West Hartlepool TDSOB tomorrow.

Mowden have rearranged last week's postponed home game against Halifax for February 21.

Below national level there is no league programme scheduled for tomorrow, which provides the opportunity to fit in most of the games washed out last week.

Among them are Horden v Middlesbrough and Stockton v Westoe in North Two East, while Redcar visit leaders Hull.

Stockton's match was called off at the last minute last week, when the Westoe captain felt the pitch was unplayable.

Gary Skirving was to have returned at prop, but he is working tomorrow so Ben Jenkinson deputises again.

Back row man Scott Powell is expected to be fit after being the innocent party in a car accident on his way to a Durham Under 20s training session. His passenger, scrum half Peter Armstrong, dislocated a shoulder.

Simon Moore is unavailable for Middlesbrough, so Lee Davis will be tried at fly half with Danny Poole on the wing.

The Durham Under 20s team to start the county programme against Cheshire at Birkenhead Park on Sunday is:

M McAllister (Durham Univ), P Sheperd (Billingham), J Atkinson (Gateshead), C Metcalfe (Durham City), A Greaves (Univ), C Sainty (Hartlepool Rovers), T Bates, R Campbell, D Rogers (Univ), S Thadi (Gateshead), J Measor (Hartlepool Rovers), J Gwinnet (Univ), M Charlton (capt, Hartlepool Rovers), R Slott (Univ), M Taylor (Hartlepool Rovers).