BLAYDON have handed Charlie Rayner a second chance to nail down their problematic fly half spot at home to Birmingham and Solihull today.

He was one of several fringe players who did themselves no harm when selected for last week’s cup tie at Nottingham and will now face the team who lie second in National Two.

After runaway leaders Redruth drew at Blaydon then lost at home to Wharfedale, Birmingham will come to Crow Trees with renewed hope of winning the title.

But they will face a team who boast a formidable home record and are boosted by the renewed pairing of their most experienced locks, skipper Dave Guthrie and Dave Whitehead.

Following Andrew Baggett’s loss of form, Blaydon tried Richard Windle then Joe Shaw at fly half. On loan from Newcastle after missing the first half of the season through injury, Shaw looked the part but after two games he suffered more knee trouble.

With Sean Tomes also absent, the only Falcons man in today’s line-up is hooker Ross Batty, bringing the contingent of players from last season’s Mowden Park team up to five. Prop Robbie Kalbraier returns after sitting out last week’s game, Scott Riddell is at blind side and Chris Clark continues at scrum half.

Third-placed Tynedale are also down to one Newcastle man in fly half Rob Miller for their day trip by train to Blackheath.

With their other No 10, Gavin Beasley, in the squad there will be a reshuffle in the backs in the absence of Falcons centre Tom Dillon.

Both Darlington clubs are at home for the second successive week and were hoping for a fine night as their pitches would not have been playable yesterday because of waterlogging.

Mowden Park have selected Phil Dawson at open side for their National Three North visit of Hull Ionians, the team immediately above them.

As the gap is seven points, followed by a further seven up to Bradford and Bingley, this is a game Mowden simply cannot afford to lose.

It was the visit of Hull at a similar stage last year which kick-started the winning streak which carried them to a promotion play-off.

Mowden have lost in league and cup away to Ionians this season, but the Humbersiders have slipped steadily down the table since then.

On his return from a shoulder operation, Dawson came safely through the second half after going on from the bench last week and takes over from Michael Ellery, who has mumps.

Gavin Clegg has joined the army, so Matthew Lister is selected on the wing with Gavin Painter returning at full back.

Darlington’s match against Middlesbrough in North One is subject to a pitch inspection this morning. With a twomatch backlog already, neither side will want the game postponed.

Boro retain young Rory Duff in the back row following his promising first start at Sheffield Tigers last week.

Darlington hand a debut to Catterick-based open side flanker Will Armstrong and have James Knox back at No 8 with Colin Rogers completing the back row.

Bill Smith is at prop as Joe Oselton has a back problem, and Tim Tombling switches from wing to fly half, where he played as a colt.

Charlie Catterall, unavailable since early season, is back and provides fly half cover from the bench, while skipper Lee Richardson switches to partner Andrew Pugh at centre. Liam Mc- Connell comes in on the wing.

If they are to climb off the bottom, Darlington need West Hartlepool to do them a favour by winning at West Park St Helens.

West’s starting line-up is unchanged, with Iain Dixon joining his brother Andrew on the bench following concussion.