Hetton Lyons, the only club to have applied for entry into the Foster's ECB North East Regional Premier League, have a lot of ground to make up if they are to win the championship and achieve their ambition.

"We are 42 points behind Burnmoor which is a big deficit at this stage of the season with only six games and 120 points at stake but we will give it our best shot," said Lyons' secretary Michael Young.

The Hetton side have lost just twice all season and start favourites at Felling even though they could be without Steve Errington.

He is to undergo a late fitness test on an injured toe and Paul Riddle is on standby.

Felling are pleased that strike bowler Chris Pleasants, who has given outstanding service to the club for many years, has returned from holiday and he is a straight replacement for the unavailable Chris Parker. It will be a major shock if Burnmoor fail to defeat second-bottom Seaham Harbour.

Despite being depleted in recent weeks, they have retained their unbeaten record and last Saturday were comfortable against third-from-top Eppleton.

Although Ian Conn and Michael Callaghan return to bolster the attack, Burnmoor miss captain John Tindale, Mark Robson and Graham Stoker. The experienced David Anderson retains his place and Scott Robinson is drafted in from the Second XI.

Seaham produced a battling performance last weekend to gain a draw and show just one change with Andy Martin resuming in a side which includes seasoned campaigners Stuart Lacey, Jeff Laws and Neil Swainston.

South Hetton are second 18 points adrift of Burnmoor.

They have skipper Bobby Steel back from holiday, but Peter Nord cannot play and a further change is the inclusion of Ray Bainbridge for the game at Boldon.

A surfeit of runs is anticipated at Sunderland Road where Boldon bring in Richard Potter, who scored an unbeaten century for the second team last weekend and Michael Barnes, the pair replacing Jonathan Bishop and Gareth Smith.

Durham City are bottom but have a good chance of avoiding the wooden spoon. They meet Marsden and with Stephen Edwards and David Burgess both sidelined, Robert Flunder and Robert Ribchester are called into the line-up.

Marsden still cannot include professional and captain John Dunn who is recovering from a broken finger. It could be another couple of weeks before he is able to play. Greg Arundel, scheduled to make his debut in last week's game which was washed out, steps aside for the returning Owen Peterson.

Eppleton meet South Shields at Wood Terrace without Nathan Wilson who will not play again this season after returning to South Africa. Also absent are Martin Ferguson and Matthew Jane with Andrew Summerbell, David Henderson and Matthew Hooper, recovered from a leg injury, all named in Lee Welch's side. Neil Dixon for Paul Muchall is Shields' only change.

Horden, engaged in a busy cup schedule, go to Whitburn with a full squad to choose from while the Villages name Neil Johnson and Elliott Markham for Gary Ventress and Neil Ayre.