Darlington Mowden Park boss Danny Brown is expecting a tough challenge as Mowden look for an 11th straight victory against Loughborough Students in the National League One.

The club’s director of rugby said: “They are one of the most physical student sides and we both like to get the ball wide so it should be a good game.

“They train like a full-time side so we will have to be on the ball.”

Mowden beat Wharfedale 36-26 last time out and Brown explained why he feels his side are playing so well at the moment.

He said: “Once we got consistency in the team selection we started to get results, patience was the key. The boys are playing really well and they are really enjoying it.”

Mowden should have a full squad to select from and Brown praised Pete Howman and Ron Conquest who have recently been called up to the England Counties squad.

He said: “I would like to send my congratulations, they have both been playing very well but it is not just these two, it is the whole squad.”

Blaydon are struggling in 14th place in National League One and travel to Plymouth Albion following a narrow defeat to Richmond last week.

Micky Ward’s side are without a win in six matches and sit inside the relegation zone but are just one point behind Wharfedale with two games in hand.

Blaydon lost narrowly in the reverse fixture with Plymouth Albion in October and with Wharfedale travelling to high-flying Blackheath, Micky Ward’s side see the game as an opportunity to push themselves away from danger.

In the National League Two North, Tynedale host promotion-chasing Caldy after a 33-26 defeat to top of the table Macclesfield last time out.

Tynedale, 12th in the league, currently sit seven points clear of the relegation zone and have won three out of their last five and were only beaten by Macclesfield and Sedgley Park who sit first and second.

Caldy won the reverse fixture 40-29 and Tynedale have lost 11 times in the league this season, only Broadstreet and Huddersfield have been beaten on more occasions.

In the North One East, Northern host South Shields Westoe in a crucial game with both sides in the relegation zone.

Westoe responded well to a 114-7 drubbing at the hands of Doncaster Phoenix with a 24-14 win over Wheatley Hills last week.

Northern are two points better off than Westoe but have been on a five game losing run, going down 17-38 to Doncaster Phoenix last time out.

Percy Park host Alnwick, who sit fourth, seven points behind West Hartlepool who are withouh a game today.

In the Durham/Northumberland One, rock-bottom Darlington take on Gosforth without a win all season and 38 points behind their opponents.

Second-bottom Porteland host Acklam, Gateshead take on Ryton and Medicals travel to Consett.

Andy Goode makes his first Aviva Premiership start for Newcastle Falcons at fly-half this weekend at Wasps. Goode, who joined the Falcons on a three-month contract over Christmas, showed every bit of his 231 matches worth of Premiership experience last weekend, in a important 26-19 win over Harlequins.

His promotion from the bench to the starting XV is the only change to the team that started at Kingston Park last Sunday. Michael Young continues outside of Goode at scrum half, while Adam Powell and Juan Pablo Socino provide the centre pairing.