Darlington Mowden Park will be without last week's two best forwards for tomorrow's crucial National Three North survival battle at New Brighton.

Luke Monument is unavailable, and after giving the club loyal service in recent weeks Eni Gisende is saving himself for what could be his final game for the Newcastle Development XV against Leicester on Monday.

With Danny Brown working, Mowden are grateful to have Ian Keeligan fit again, with Rob Kalbraier providing useful front row cover.

Mark Darlington will be hooking with Junior Fagalilo switching to blind side for Gisende, while lock Naude Pretorius comes in for Monument.

The backs are unchanged as Mowden seek the third successive win they desperately need.

Two of the sides just below them meet at Leicester Lions, where Macclesfield are the visitors, and next week Macclesfield are at home to bottom club Kendal.

Mowden's remaining matches after tomorrow are at home to Nuneaton and Darlington and away to Hull Ionians and Preston Grasshoppers.

Cleckheaton, also in the relegation scrap, face the toughest run-in and Mowden will be hoping Darlington can do them a favour when they visit the West Yorkshire club next week.

First they have to entertain leaders Bradford and Bingley tomorrow without unavailable full back Lee Davies and skipper Paul Lee, who has food poisoning.

Apenai Kororua could come in at full back and there could also be a recall for Ben Snook, who was the goal-kicker until Davies took over.

After hitting peak form against Preston, Darlington will have to shake off the rust of two weeks' inactivity as they begin a tough run of matches in which they also play fellow North-East sides over the first three weeks in April.

They are at home to Blaydon on April 1, then go to Mowden followed by the rearranged match at Tynedale on Easter Saturday.

Blaydon face one of the biggest games in their history tomorrow, when their trip to Nuneaton could decide which of them earns a play-off for promotion to Division Two.

Blaydon are six points ahead of the Midlanders, who have two games in hand and will be strong favourites to finish second if they win tomorrow, even though they still have to visit Crow Trees on April 15.

But Blaydon know they should stay ahead if they win all their remaining games.

Stockton play their rearranged North Two East game at Percy Park and will be as good as doomed if they lose. Danny Cowell returns at full back for Owain Jenkins, who has done well despite playing out of position and will be on the bench.

* The England Under 16 squad for Sunday's match against Bath Academy Under 17s at Bath University includes Boldon School's Robert Bell and Barnard Castle's Rory Clegg.

Six players attached to the Newcastle Academy, plus Richmond School's Callum Clark, will feature in two England Under 18 sides to play the Scots at Murrayfield on Sunday. The Newcastle players are Alex Tait, Aaron Myers, Robert Miller, Michael Young, Grant Beasley and Michael Johnson.