Darlington'S hopes of emulating Mowden Park's feat of a hat-trick of Durham Cup wins is under threat from their neighbours' greater strength in depth tonight. In a repeat of last year's final, which Darlington won 34-22, the teams clash in a delayed first round tie at Yiewsley Drive, kicking off at 6.30pm.

Both are suffering from the wear and tear of a tough league programme, but while Darlington are seriously stretched up front Mowden can call in some weighty deputies. Among them is local lad Mark Monument, who has been developing his game with the Rotherham Academy while studying at Sheffield University. He could play at lock, with Paino Kelekolio switching to No 8 if skipper Aaron Redaelli finally decides to rest his troublesome neck. Flanker Jon Dye has damaged ankle ligaments, but Tony Irwin will step in, while Ian Keeligan is a handy replacement for prop Danny Brown, who is rated 50/50 following a back spasm which forced him off after ten minutes on Saturday.

But Darlington are never quite the same without open side flanker Martin Howe, who is on holiday, while they also have a problem at lock as Tom Wilkinson has broken a foot.

His obvious replacement, David Inman, is also injured so Matt Dilworth could be pressed into service after a hamstring injury.

They were also checking last night to see if Army lock Paul Radford is back in the country.

After playing one league game each, Mowden have three Newcastle Falcons players eligible in flanker Soa Otuvaka and academy centres Nick Wainwright and Sandy Mitchell.

How Mowden will develop their relationship with the Falcons was on the agenda at a meeting open to members last night, which was attended by the Newcastle club's owner David Thompson.

The meeting was called to discuss the way forward, but with Mowden due to move to a new ground in two years it seems unlikely that amalgamation with their neighbours would crop up.

The topic has had a few brief airings in the past without significant progress, although to outsiders it would seem the logical way to go. The winners of tonight's match will be at home to Stockton in the semi-final on Saturday. And with the other semi between Blaydon and Westoe being played next Wednesday the final is now on Sunday, April 27. The Durham selectors will be at tonight's match as they prepare for the opening County Championship game on May 3 against Cheshire at Macclesfield.

Hartlepool Rovers will stage Durham's home match the following week against Cumbria or Hertfordshire.

If Durham are still in the competition, they will face a tough match on May 17 against whoever emerges from the group which includes current champions Gloucestershire plus Surrey, Middlesex and Devon.

On Sunday, May 18 Durham will also feature in the National County Sevens Northern Group Competition, which has been switched to Altrincham-Kersal, the winners going forward to the National Finals at Twickenham a week later, when the County Championship final will also be held. Durham players again have the chance of taking part in the England Counties XV summer programme, which involves two games in Romania and one against France Amateurs in Toulouse.

Last season Martin Howe was in the running for a place in the England XV and only work prevented Kevan Oliphant (Mowden Park) from being on the plane for Chile