Shotley Bridge play Swalwell

10:04am Saturday 5th July 2008

Shotley Bridge are the latest team to have a crack at puncturing Swalwell's aura of invincibility as they play the runaway leaders today.

Bridge have every incentive to make full use of home advantage as they are now the most pressing of the contenders - even though they are a distant second some forty points behind.

Both sides go into the encounter at full strength, and know if the champions win this one it will almost be a bridge too far for all their rivals.

Time is not on Backworth's side either at the opposite end of the table, but their opponents Leadgate have an availability crisis that may well provide a ray of hope to the beleaguered hosts. Lee Innes has work commitments, Robbie Hockaday is out with a broken finger, and Davey Richardson and Paul Greenwell are on holiday.

Replacements include Glen and Jason Fletcher and Stephen Forster.

Benwell and Walbottle, have Geoff Prudhoe and Richard Waddell returning in place of David Anderson and Alan Green, as they come up against an unchanged Newcastle City.

Ashington play a Lintz team who bring in Tim Hughes for Michael Edmunds.

Tynedale go to Ryton while in the final game thirdplaced Sacriston are at home against Annfield Plain. Phil Shields and Ian Jones come back into the host's line-up with Andrew Dixon and Ian Bestford reverting to the seconds. For Plain Andrew Donnelly is replaced by Graham Stephenson.