This weekend sees another double round of league matches, at the end of which the season will be half over for a number of teams.

And unless someone can stop the runaway leaders, Kimblesworth, it will be more than half over for many.

The leaders do, perhaps, face a couple of real tests. Today they entertain Evenwood, who have won five matches to date, so have the capability of causing an upset, while tomorrow they go to second-placed Esh Winning for what could be a defining match in the race for the title.

Esh face Brandon away today knowing they need to keep the pressure on with a win ahead of the big one tomorrow. They turn out a full-strength team for both encounters.

Brandon, too, are at full strength for both matches, which pleases them as they feel a lot of players will be missing from teams this weekend because of the Test Match at Riverside. They travel to Willington for their second game tomorrow, so they face two very tough encounters.

Shildon Railway are up to third in the table following a recent return to form but they just have the one game this weekend, at Langley Park tomorrow.

The threatening weather forecast may be a double-edged sword for the Railway - if games are washed out today they will not be unduly concerned as they would lose little ground, however they would not want to miss tomorrow's game against a side who have lost nine times in ten outings.

Ushaw Moor face a real challenge today when they entertain a Tudhoe side who can beat anyone on their day, and then they go to Evenwood tomorrow expecting another battle.

Tudhoe's second fixture is a home match up with bottom club Etherley.

Willington will be hoping for a decent return from their weekend's work, starting at Hylton today, while their hosts will only have the one game to think about as they sit out tomorrow's programme.

Crook Town have won five of their nine league matches but sit in the bottom half of the table because the position is so tight in the mid-table log jam.

They have a great opportunity to head back towards the leading pack as they travel to play Etherley today and then clash with a struggling Mainsforth tomorrow.

Mainsforth themselves will be looking upwards if they can see off the challenge of lowly Langley Park in their first game of the weekend.