HORDEN are struggling to overcome a double blow as they prepare for tomorrow's Powergen Intermediate Cup fourth round tie away to Herefordshire club Luctonians.

After coaching the club for 12 years, David Turner has resigned following a career-threatening injury to his son Andrew.

A prolific goal-kicker, Andrew was carried off at Westoe after badly dislocating the same shoulder which came out on the same ground two years ago.

"Current advice is that he shouldn't play again," said club chairman John Groves. "It's a huge blow and David is finding it difficult to motivate himself, which is why he has resigned.

"We also have a couple of players unavailable for this match, but we are determined to enjoy the trip.

"The amateur ethos runs right through the club, but we are rewarding the players for their efforts by providing an overnight hotel stop in Dudley.

"Luctonians lost a play-off to get into National Division Three last season and are currently joint top of their league. We have had them watched and they apparently have a big, fit, well-drilled pack."

Former Ashington player Paul Scott has taken over the goal-kicking, while young Luke Watson comes in for unavailable scrum half Andrew Raine and Glen Bowman deputises for David Grand at centre.

The draw was unkind to both North-East survivors as Middlesbrough travel to Bradford and Bingley, who are among the favourites to win the competition.

They reached the quarter-finals last year and were unbeaten at the top of North One this season until they lost narrowly at Sheffield two weeks ago.

Boro reached the Intermediate semis in the event's inaugural season, seven years ago, when among their scalps were Sedgley Park, now top of National Division Two.

In the fourth round of the Powergen Junior Vase, Northallerton entertain Sheffield Tigers, who are second in Yorkshire Two, a division above their hosts.

Novos entertain Seaton Carew for the third successive season. The previous two ties were in the third round with Novos winning the first 29-5 and losing the second 15-10.

The other North-East survivors, Ponteland, have been rewarded for their third round win at Skipton with an even longer trip, to Grimsby.

"This is about as far as we could have gone at this stage," said secretary Dave Whaley, who is hoping the club's top scorer, South African fly half Phil Bosch, will hit form again.

"He has been superb and developing links with South African players is definitely something we will be looking at in the future."

Ponteland suffered only their second defeat of the season when they lost to a last-minute drop goal against Ryton last week.

* Leeds boss Phil Davies has billed tonight's Heineken Cup clash against European champions Toulouse as ''a mini international'', writes ANDREW BALDOCK.

The Yorkshire club's task in south-west France was always going to be difficult, but it has now been compounded by Toulouse suffering a shock 23-16 defeat at Edinburgh last weekend.

The Heineken Cup holders will be fired up to bounce back from that Pool Two loss in front of their own fans, and Davies knows exactly what lies ahead.

''We will need an enhanced performance this week from last Sunday's game against Neath-Swansea Ospreys,'' said Davies.

''I played in France on a number of occasions during my career, and the games are always played in an incredible atmosphere.

"It will be like a mini international, and that is the level that we are aspiring to be at on a regular basis, but we are not there yet."