NEWCASTLE Falcons could have to wait until late in the season to play their home match against Bath, which it was hoped would attract a record Kingston Park crowd yesterday.

It was decided on Saturday to stop Bath travelling and a midweek date may have to be found for the match if Newcastle progress in the Powergen Cup.

The first league meeting between Darlington Mowden Park and West Hartlepool was among the other games to fall foul of the weather.

The National Division Three North programme also has few gaps and the one next Saturday is already taken up by Mowden's rearranged match at New Brighton.

West are playing their Durham Cup tie against Consett next Saturday, but Mowden Park have opted to play their tie at Blaydon as a double-header when they visit Crow Trees for a league match the following week.

Blaydon had hoped to take next weekend off, but they will now try to play the league match at Tynedale, which was postponed on Saturday.

The first available Saturday for Mowden v West would be February 16, which is Durham Cup semi-final day.

After that March 9 is the only blank date before the end of the season.

The only matches to defy the conditions on Saturday were at Morpeth and Hartlepool Rovers.

It was fortunate for Morpeth that their visitors for the North Two East match were only coming from Alnwick and they agreed to play on two inches of snow, Morpeth coming back from 10-3 down to win 20-10.

Rovers won 17-7 at home to Gateshead in Durham and Northumberland Division One after going behind to a first-minute try by David Bond, who seized a loose ball to race over unopposed.

Rovers' star man in the snow was centre Simon Rutherford, who set up a try for Phil Hall then ran 40 metres to score from a quickly-taken penalty.

Rutherford was again involved before Paul Kirton dived over for the third try, one of which was converted by Hall.

Aspatria survived a harrowing journey from Cumbria to Darlington, where attempts were made to get the North Division One match on.

But although the pitch was soft enough, it was decided there was too much snow.

* Bristol's game at home to Northampton Saints was called off just one hour before kick-off due to a frozen pitch.

The Memorial Stadium pitch was deemed unsafe for play by match referee Paul Adams, despite it having been covered for the past few days.

A new date has still to be arranged but it is increasingly looking as though it may have to be a midweek match.