SOMETHING has to give when Darlington Mowden Park entertain resurgent Rosslyn Park today.

Starting with the home draw against Coventry, Mowden are unbeaten in four games, while the Londoners have won their last four.

That's in marked contrast to losing their first four, since when they have won ten out of 14 to climb to seventh in National One.

A shortage of front row forwards has forced Mowden to switch Simon Uzokwe to hooker, where he began last season before his move to the back row.

Last season's captain, Gareth Nesbit, provides cover on the bench, where he is joined by Adam Radwan and Joel Gill as Shaun McCartney and Jamie Barnard start on the wings. Callum Mackenzie comes into the back row.

Rosslyn Park include exciting former Mowden full back Henry Robinson and ex-Tynedale lock Richard Boyle, while the biggest threat often comes from prolific No 8 Hugo Ellis. He was among the scorers in last week's 33-17 home win against Old Albanians.

Following the postponement of last week's home game against Moseley, Blaydon will be desperate for victory at Macclesfield, the only team below them.

With Gavin Jones still injured, Blaydon retain retain Newcastle Falcons lock Andrew Davidson in an unchanged pack. Fraser Wilson returns on the wing and with Brett Connon at fly half, Andrew Baggett is on a strong bench.

Whoever wins, it will take a big improvement for either to escape the drop, the small consolation for Blaydon being that they can resume hostilities with Tynedale.

The Corbridge club were also inactive last week because of the snow at Wharfedale, but will host Sedgley Park today. They are fifth, four places above Tynedale.

It's a blank date in the lower leagues, but several of last week's postponed matches will go ahead in Durham and Northumberland One.

Stockton travel to Medicals with prop Tom Nelson rejoining an otherwise unchanged squad, but Middlesbrough will have to wait until February 25 to entertain Ryton.

Barnard Castle will also be idle again as Consett already had a re-scheduled match against Novos. That means Barney will have three games to catch up on leaders Westoe, who visit Gosforth.

After adding the South Shields prefix to their title, Westoe are poised to vacate the Wood Terrace ground they have shared with the cricket club for 140 years.

They held a special general meeting last night to discuss a move to the Temple Park area of the town.

A free week for Hartlepool Rovers will allow their new coach, Jon Benson, to take stock of their perilous position. He has been here before as his six-year stint at Ryton intially involved relegation, swiftly followed by promotion.

Benson, a Barnard Castle School product from Wolsingham, played in the Premiership for West Hartlepool, Leeds and Rotherham before spending a couple of seasons as Mowden's fly half.

He has taken over at Rovers from former player Carl Robinson, who has stood down after three and a half years.

*Sir Ian Botham's grandson, James, has been called into the Wales sevens squad for the next installment of the World Rugby Series in Wellington on January 28-29. The back row forward is a member of the Cardiff Blues Academy.