Falcons release Batty for Mowden’s trip to the Lions’ den

9:14am Friday 7th March 2008

NEWCASTLE Falcons have made hooker Ross Batty available for Darlington Mowden Park's crunch game at Leicester Lions tomorrow.

Batty was required by the Falcons for bench duty for last Friday night's postponed match against Wasps, but he is not in the squad for tomorrow's trip to Bath.

Although first-choice hooker Andy Long is still out with a hand injury, Rob Vickers has been called on to bench to cover for Matt Thompson.

Lock Andy Perry remains sidelined by a rib injury, so Geoff Parling will partner Mark Sorenson, with Brent Wilson at blind side.

The only other change from the side which lost narrowly at Gloucester two weeks ago comes at loose head prop, where England Saxon Jon Golding takes the starting spot with Joe Mc- Donnell on the bench.

Newcastle Falcons: Tom May, Ollie Phillips, Tom Dillon, Alex Tait, John Rudd, Steve Jones, Lee Dickson, Jon Golding, Matt Thompson, Carl Hayman, Geoff Parling, Mark Sorenson, Brent Wilson, Ben Woods, Phil Dowson (captain) ■ The Durham Cup is unlikely to feature strongly on the radar of either Darlington club, despite both having home advantage on March 22.

Mowden Park are due to play Westoe and Darlington face Blaydon, but both have more important matters on their minds.

Mowden might decide to give the cup a crack if they win at Leicester Lions tomorrow because they will then be in pole position to grab the promotion play-off place in National Three North.

But if they lose to Leicester they will have to concentrate on winning their remaining league games in the hope that the Lions slip up somewhere.

Mowden have the easier run-in and will try to avoid putting too much emphasis on tomorrow's game against a side who narrowly beat them at Yiewsley Drive in October.

Jon Benson will return at fly half in place of Charlie Rayner, who tweaked a hamstring in training, and the only doubt surrounds lock Luke Monument.

He left the field with a thigh injury last Saturday and if he fails to recover either Chris Dodd or Chris Stewart will step in.

Aaron Myers is expected to return to the starting line-up with Scott Riddell switching to blind side at the expense of Tony Begovich.

Darlington, third from the bottom of North One, need to win at home to Cleckheaton as only two points cover the bottom four and Darlington have the worst points difference.

They also need last week's conquerors, Middlesbrough, to do them a favour tomorrow by winning at Liverpool St Helens.

Of the other strugglers, Altrincham- Kersal are at Westoe and Penrith visit leaders Kendal, so Darlington have the chance to pull clear. But they will still need to win at Penrith on March 29, the week after the county cup tie.

■ Newcastle Falcons players will come head-to-head in Falkirk tonight (7.30) as Scotland Under-20s host England Under-20s.

The young Scots are captained by Falcons flanker Lewis Calder, while Newcastle scrum half Ross Samson also starts for the hosts.

The England side features their clubmate Rob Miller, the fly half who has also scored ten tries for Tynedale this season.

He made his England debut a fortnight ago in the win over France in Grenoble, where he struck a 50-metre penalty.

England centre Alex Tait has been released from the England squad to play for the Falcons.

■ Billingham have had to make several changes for their game against Ponteland, while also opting to promote Stephen Wray to the second row after impressing when coming on as a replacement at Alnwick.

With Martin Dixon and Brett Wildridge carrying injuries, Danny Youdale fills in on the blind side and Rob Liddle returns to the front row. The only change in the backs sees Peter Evans take over at fly half from his brother Joe, who is on the bench.

Stockton will decide between Matt Brown and Matt Taylor at full back for their game at Horden, while Ian Todd is at blind side in the absence of Wayne Brown.

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