KERRIDGE Cup winners Great Ayton are seeking a second successive cup-winning weekend when they face Hartlepool in the NYSD Fifteens final.

While there’s a double league programme, with games both today and Monday, tomorrow is the tenth anniversary of the NYSD Fifteens, sponsored by Teesside University.

This year the host club are Stokesley, with the day featuring four finals, getting underway at 9.30am when the champion junior teams of Richmondshire and Saltburn meet.

Following the opener Barnard Castle and Redcar lock horns in the Division Two final, and then Thornaby and Whitby will go head to head for the Division One trophy. Finally, the showpiece Premier final is scheduled for 5pm.

Set against the vast experience of the villagers, who will be making a remarkable seventh final appearance in eight years, this will be a new adventure for Pools. It is 18 years since they last won a Premier cup competition, with Ayton gunning for a ninth piece of silverware in eight years. Both teams expect to be at full strength, with Dave Seymour back in the Hartlepool dressing room.

In today’s league programme, the top seven teams are covered by just 40 points - and all will consider themselves in with a chance in one of the most open title races for many years.

The time may have come for the chasing teams to risk going for the full 25 points, which makes for an exciting finale.

Richmondshire hold a 19-point gap over Barnard Castle following last week’s storm lashed ending to their derby, but it remains to be seen how they will react to last Sunday’s crushing disappointment of losing the Kerridge Cup final.

Their weekend double involves an immediate return to Windy Hill Lane, the scene of that cup calamity, followed by a visit to relegation-threatened Marton on Monday.

The Dalesmen will have Craig Marshall back in their ranks, but Craig Swainston is missing as their hosts, one of the six-pack trying to hunt the table-toppers down, should be at full strength.

Marton, two points away from the drop zone, have a doubt over Gareth Shaw, with his chances of playing are rated at only 50/50 because of an ankle ligament injury.

Marton could not have a tougher weekend if they tried – before playing the leaders on Monday they begin with a trip to second-placed Barnard Castle today who will have Simon Tennant back in the side, alongside James Quinn who retains his place.

Stokesley were understandably proud when home-grown James Weighell became the latest NYSD player to gain first-class status last weekend when he was selected for Durham’s county championship match against Middlesex- though it took away their star performer who has 679 league runs at an average of 68, and 35 wickets at 20 this summer.

With Durham idle this weekend Weighell is expected to play at Seaton Carew today, although the club are unsure whether he will be released for Monday’s home derby against a Guisborough side who are able to include Phil Holdsworth, although the Murray brothers, Ryan and Graham, are missing.

The Division One title race is also brewing up. With one promotion place available Whitby hit the top last weekend when Billingham went down to a shock defeat at the hands of Blackhall, their third loss in the last five matches after going the opening 16 games of the season unbeaten. The Synners loss of form has also opened the door for Bishop Auckland who are on a roll after six wins in their last seven matches – they are now just ten points of the top spot.