IT could be a case of "last out turn off the lights" when the good folk of Horden depart for Cheshire tomorrow morning.

Some are going with the rugby team tonight, bound for Lymm, where a tenth successive win will put them in the quarter-finals of the Powergen Intermediate Cup.

"There are 200 supporters going in coaches, plus a fleet of cars," said chairman John Groves. "It will be a great day for the club and the village and we are very conscious of representing Durham County.

"We would love to make it ten wins on the trot, but we are not putting too much pressure on the players. We have a young side and I would like to think I can use my experience of big-match build-ups to put the lads at their ease.

"Win or lose it has been a marvellous experience. But we certainly think we are capable of beating them.

"The feedback we have been getting is that Lymm have an experienced pack and a very good goal-kicking fly half, so we have to be disciplined."

Lymm are fourth from the bottom in North Two West while Horden lie fourth in North Two East, but knowing their tight, sloping ground is generally reckoned to give Lymm a distinct advantage.

As they do not have floodlights the match kicks off at 1.45 in case extra time is needed.

Horden have booked into a hotel with leisure facilities and an astro-turf pitch, where they can have a light run-out in the morning.

They have doubts about flanker Darren Greenlaw and centre Glen Bowman through illness, but have veterans Paul Priestley and Gary Tait standing by.

Horden's scheduled visit to Redcar becomes the third game they have to rearrange in North Two East, in which Middlesbrough hope to return to winning ways away to bottom club Goole.

Boro have shuffled the backs again, with Peter Wright reverting to scrum half and Andy Micklewright to fly half. James Thomas is home from Cardiff so he and Tom Bivens will be on the wings, with Danny Poole at full back. Richard Horton returns to captain the side at hooker.

After slipping into the relegation mire, Stockton need to win at home to Alnwick.

The visitors are beginning to find some form after propping up the table and trail Stockton only on points difference.

Stockton hope to have Nicky Poole back at scrum half, with Peter Armstrong on National Colts Cup duty.

Blaydon can do Mowden Park a favour by winning at Bedford Athletic, who are just below Mowden in second bottom place.

For the second successive week Mowden slipped a place without playing last week, with Broadstreet edging ahead of them prior to hosting Mowden tomorrow.

James Lofthouse will travel from London to join an otherwise unchanged Blaydon squad, who should have regular fly half Colin Duncan back in mid-February after he had the plaster removed from his leg this week.

* Darlington won their delayed Durham Third Teams Cup first round tie 50-22 at Stockton and will visit Ryton in the second round on January 25.

The other ties are: Westoe v Darlington Mowden Park, Gateshead v Billingham and Blaydon v Horden.