Darlington Mowden Park have suddenly found themselves with ten players either injured or unavailable as their 100 per cent record in North One faces a stern test at Macclesfield today.

Despite not having played for the last two weeks because of foot-and-mouth, the casualty list has lengthened, with winger Mick Kent (back) and flanker Tony Irwin (hamstring) pulling up in training.

With No 8 Aaron Radaelli also injured and Del Russell working, Mowden have drafted Durham University's Will Mawby into the back row and are hoping that Shaun Cassidy can shake off a virus.

If not there is a chance that coach Dave Mitchell might decide to play after recovering from cancer, but the club are not putting him under any pressure. Their other option is for former Bishop Auckland player Paul Brooks to fill in at lock with Ian James switching to No 8.

The major concern is at scrum half as Phil Harvey is out for the season and Will Green has had to go to Spain as part of his university course.

Mowden discovered that Giles Mitchell, who has played a few games at open-side, spent a season playing at scrum-half for Bedford seconds.

He trained last Saturday and on Monday with a view to filling the No 9 shirt, but then realised that family commitments would prevent him from playing.

The upshot is that Jonny Golightly, who has played at fly-half and full-back, will now have a go at scrum-half.

Foot-and-mouth has been confirmed at Congleton, which is the same distance from Macclesfield as the nearest outbreak at Stillington is to Darlington.

On those grounds Mowden would have as much right to cry off today's match as Hull Ionians had to pull out of last Saturday's visit to Yiewsley Drive.

Team manager Jim Dyson said: "We were annoyed about Hull, but we decided unanimously to go ahead with this game. We know it will be tough but we are very upbeat about it and are backing all the players 100 per cent."

Chris Mattison will return in place of Kent and, with Tony Elwine in Copenhagen, Mark Bedworth and John Stewart continue their centre partnership.

Mowden field their usual front row and they can expect a tough battle against opponents who include abrasive hooker Steve Diamond, who recently took up a coaching role with his old club Sale, but is still available to play when not on duty with the Premiership side.

Hull Ionians have apparently been told they must fulfil their fixture with Mowden and it has been pencilled in for April 21.

At the other end of the table, Middlesbrough welcome back flanker Ben Pattinson after his knee injury, and Tony Wilkinson is fit to resume alongside player-coach John Dixon at lock for the visit of Bradford and Bingley.

"All the players know we have to win our last three games to be sure of avoiding relegation," said Dixon. "There's no reason why we shouldn't win them all.

"We lost to a last-minute drop goal at Bradford, so we hope to put that right then win at home to Driffield next week and at Stockton the week after."

Hooker Ross Groves is back from Loughborough and takes over from Geoff Waterfield, while Dale Sawdon replaces Phil Adamson at tight head and Danny Poole is on the wing for Jon Malcolm.

Boro beat West Park Bramhope 45-3 in the Yorkshire Cup in midweek and are at home to Yorkshire Division One club Hull in the second round on April 18.

Stockton entertain Chester today with Chris Rogers and Dave Turner on the wings and Jamie Hart at full back. Ian Todd replaces Keith Etherington at lock and it is hoped Brett Wildridge will be fit to return at blind side.

l Darlington's fears about the Durham City pitch for the Durham Cup final receded yesterday with the news that the groundsman has Hollow Drift in excellent condition.

Fly-half Paul Lee has passed a fitness test and Darlington will select from a full-strength squad for the match against Blaydon.

Player-coach Phil Lancaster departed after 20 minutes last week to be replaced by Joe Osleton, but that was merely a precaution and they are likely to field an unchanged pack, leaving Osleton, Brian Baldwin and Mark Turnbull on the bench.

There is a choice to be made in the threequarters, with Marc Potts likely to be the unlucky victim of the reshuffle caused by Lee's return.

Certainly Mark Butler will not be making way after starring in the semi-final win against Mowden Park, and if the pitch is as good as promised Paul Beattie's extra pace will be required on the other wing.

Although Blaydon full-back Gareth King is a big threat, Darlington have the edge in the backs and it they reproduce their semi-final form they should land the cup for the first time.

Darlington (probable): D Glendenning, M Butler, C Lee, L Johnson, P Beattie, P Lee, D Andrew, P Lancaster, R Goddard, D Miller, R Snowball, S Fitzpatrick, B Dixon, M Howe, D Lewis.

Blaydon: G King, G Spearman, I Dixon, D Michniewicz, A Savory, L Hogarth, A Foreman, C Harrison, P Ritson, D Dixon, P Bird, J Oakes, D Guthrie, T Russell, J Goose.

Meanwhile, Darlington lock Richard Snowball faces another busy weekend as he is in the Yorkshire Under 20 team for quarter-final against East Midlands at Doncaster tomorrow.

* Former Darlington player Tim Foster, now with Leeds Tykes, captained the England Under 19 team which kicked off the FIRA Junior World Championships against Scotland in Santiago, Chile, yesterday.

* Foot-and-mouth has forced Darlington to cancel their annual Junior Festival for the first time since it was launched in the early 70s.

It traditionally attracts clubs from all over the North with more than 1,000 youngsters involved.