Mixed news for Dixons

9:11am Friday 16th May 2008

WHILE hooker Andrew Dixon returns to the Durham side for their County Championship Shield relegation decider against Cumbria at Darlington tomorrow, his brother Iain is unavailable.

The Mowden Park player is replaced at centre by Gateshead's David Tate, while Durham University and Nottingham flanker Phil Eggleshaw comes in for Mowden's Aaron Myers, who is playing in a sevens competition.

Andrew Dixon, a withdrawal last week due to the birth of his first child, comes back in despite the availability of Moseley's former Darlington hooker Dan Oselton, who on the bench.

Durham: Simon Moore (Middlesbrough), Gareth Foreman (Hartlepool Rovers), David Tate (Gateshead), David Astle, Matthew Horrocks, Matthew Gupta (all Durham University), Andrew Foreman (Mowden Park), Gareth Nesbit (Westoe, capt), Andrew Dixon (West Hartlepool), Joe Oselton (Darlington), Paul Bird (Westoe), Richard Boyle, Phil Eggleshaw, Alex Waddingham (all Durham Uni), Graeme Smith (Westoe) Northumberland hope that home advantage will give them the edge over North Midlands in their promotion decider with North Midlands at Tynedale.

The winners will secure promotion to the Bill Beaumont Cup and also go through to the Shield final at Twickenham on June 1.

In the senior event the Roses match at Harrogate is likely to settle who goes through to the final. Yorkshire welcome back fly half Richard Wainwright, who was away last weekend on his club Manchester's end of season tour to Barcelona.

Wharfedale's former Middlesbrough player Andy Baggett covered for Wainwright last week and collected a broken nose, but he is expected to take his place at centre. Otley's former West Hartlepool flanker Dan Hyde made a big impact from the bench in Yorkshire's 14-10 defeat away to Warwickshire last week and is a possible starter.