THE switch to Sunday has cost Blaydon the services of their first-choice half backs for tomorrow's National One visit of Tynedale (2pm).

While they are hoping to attract a crowd of more than 1,000, Blaydon will be without Andrew Baggett and Hall Charlton, who both made arrangements based on the assumption the derby match would take place today.

While starting every league match himself, coach Micky Ward has been able to include his assistant, Charlton, only twice.

"I hoped to have him for this game but he's at a wedding," said Ward. "And Andrew Baggett is flying off on Sunday for a skiing holiday, so Niall Rowark takes his place.

"With the Falcons being away this weekend we are hoping a lot of local rugby fans will come to watch a good quality game. It will be a tough match and I'm sure it will go down to the wire.

"I'm enjoying it massively, but I hadn't expected to start every game. We hoped to make use of one of the Falcons' props, James Hall, but they have had injuries and the best laid plans don't always work out."

Mid-table Tynedale are three places and four points ahead of Blaydon and will be looking for their second double in successive seasons against their neighbours.

They won the home match 34-25 in September and ended a lean run last week by winning 61-17 at home to Sedgley Park, who won at Blaydon last month.

"They will be on a massive high after that," said Ward. "I'd like to think we can beat them up front, but they have some very good forwards and we're taking nothing for granted."

Tynedale will be without powerful back row man Sam Shires, but with Jamie Murray back playing again they have plenty of cover in that department.

Westoe will be without skipper Gareth Nesbitt but will still hope to record their fifth successive win in National Two North when they visit Harrogate.

Player-coach Mark Bedworth, who scored 19 points in last week's win against Sheffield Tigers, said: "I've been very pleasantly surprised with the way our season has gone. We have lacked consistency but things do seem to be falling into place now."

Harrogate have won only five of their 16 games and lost 29-10 away to Westoe in September. Ex-Middlesbrough flanker Rory Duff is unavailable for Westoe, while Gareth Kerr's absence in the backs allows Peter Phelan to start.

Darlington Mowden Park's National Three North game at Bradford and Bingley is in doubt because of waterlogging.

The Bees won 26-17 away to second-placed Chester last week, allowing Mowden to open a ten-point lead, but they suffered a few injuries in a bruising battle at home to Sandal.

Tom Schofield played most of the match with broken ribs and is replaced at No 8 by James Knox, while prop Ralph Appleby suffered a shoulder injury so Danny Dixon returns with coach Danny Brown on the bench.

Pierce Phillips was also injured, so Chris Campbell returns at lock and Andy Tonkin comes into the back row as Liam Riley is playing for Durham Under 18s tomorrow. Chris Peace is still injured so Tom Hodgson stays at centre.

West Hartlepool will also be seeking a double at home to Burnage. Gareth Foreman, who would have missed last week's postponed game at Rossendale, returns at fly half and Jonny Boatman makes his return on the bench.

After beating North One East promotion rivals Wheatley Hills and Billingham, Middlesbrough are unchanged for the third successive match for the trip to Morpeth.

If they win again they could face a selection dilemma when the league programme resumes in three weeks as Richard Horton, Sean Richardson and Callum Campbell should all be fit.

Billingham are without Anth Hyndman for the visit of bottom club Team Northumbria, so Will Turnbull switches to centre with Joe Screen on the wing. Craig Tennant replaces Brett Wildridge in the second row.

Durham and Northumberland One leaders Darlington visit Ryton and hope to include Adam Kibirige, who has re-joined the club from Acklam.

He is a Yarm School product like his brother Zach, who played for England Under 17s and is currently in the Newcastle Falcons Academy.

A Yarm School Old Boys team has been formed and they will play their first match against Darlington under the Blackwell Meadows floodlights next Friday (7pm). In the Darlington squad Andy Pugh, Joe Hargreaves and Michael Stowe are all Yarm old boys.

Second-placed Stockton visit mid-table Horden with the only change to the squad seeing the experienced centre Graham Kell come in to allow coach Craig Lee to step down.