TYNEDALE’S injury jinx has struck once again as they prepare for Sunday’s rescheduled SSE National One derby at Blaydon.
Originally due to be played in December but falling victim to the frost, the intervening two months have done little to ease Tynedale’s problems as they once again go into battle without a host of key men.
Chairman of rugby John Shotton said: “We have been hit by a load of injuries, which seems to have become the norm this season.
“Most weeks we have had nine or 10 lads out, but you just have to get on with it.
“Peter Cole broke his arm last week and will be out for six weeks, although hopefully Alan Rogers might be back to fill in on the wing. Andrew Murray got carried off last weekend with a knee injury so he is out, as is Chris Harris, and we are still waiting on Gavin Beasley at fly-half to see whether or not he can come back from his thigh strain.”
Keen for match action against a Blaydon side which fell 34-25 in Corbridge back in September, Shotton added: “The weather forecast seems to be up-and-down and I suppose we are in the lap of the gods, but both clubs will hope we can get it played because it is a game everybody looks forward to.
“We played them in the second week of the season, and they are always hard matches. On that occasion we got all five points and they got none, but in derby games form tends to go out of the window.
“The winner will get bragging rights for a couple of hours in the bar afterwards, but that is about it because the season is 30 games long and the derbies only account for two of those.” Blaydon make two personnel changes, with Chris Wearmouth’s shoulder injury seeing Gavin Jones move to the second-row, while stand-off Andrew Baggett’s switch to inside centre allows Elliot O’Brien to come in at No 10.
A mouth-watering weekend of rugby throughout the region sees significant matches right the way down the league ladder, with North One East leaders Billingham hosting second-placed Wheatley Hills.
Durham and Northumberland Two front-runners Blyth are at Consett, who are five points behind with two games in hand, while top plays second in Division Three with leaders Seaham at second-placed Prudhoe and Stocksfield.
MARK SMITH
Blaydon (v Tynedale, home, National One): J Embleton, S Barber, C Incledon, A Baggett, K McShane, E O’Brien, L Crosbie; R Kalbraier, M Thompson, M Ward, G Jones, K Laughlin, B Morris, R Bell, J Smithson.
Gateshead (v Durham City, away, North One East): D Tate, P Sockett, M Heelbeck, M Livesey, S Cartner, J Dove, C Owen; W Wilczek, D Kerr, J Thandi, I Carr, D Henry, C Jackson, S Sandhu, M Pluskal.
Middlesbrough (v Percy Park, away): R McNeill, J Evans, R Bellerby, M Featherstone, J Bircham, P Lee, C Lord; P Harland, R Horton, C Chapman, L Theakston, T Holden, R Barker, G Fingland, M Dixon.
Novos (v Gosforth, home, Durham and Northumberland One): G Jardine, R Diggle, M Bradford, D Bollado, J Parkinson, C Fife, J McDermott; J Forbes, B Walker, P Twentyman, M Reidy, J Wallace, B Merrett, A Hind, W Trick.
Horden (v Ponteland, away, Durham and Northumberland One): D Heckles, C Jones, M Turner, A White, A Docherty, A Turner, N Hartley; M Thompson, A Rollins, J Yeates, M Thubron, P Malcolm, O Bennett, D Palmer, N Turton.
Acklam (v Darlington, away, Durham and Northumberland One): Ashton, Dunn, Dickenson, Walker, Roberts, Richardson, McRoberts; Bate, Chambers, Burns, Cruickshank, Savage, Bailes, Groves, Duffy.
Blyth (v Consett, away, Durham and Northumberland Two): S Hall, C Grey, A Sutherland, G Sutherland, J Bostock, G Dawson, T Smithson; S Browne, M Stephenson, M Barber, C Turnbull, W Dobson, S Long, D Langdown, W Davie.
Seaton Carew (v Barnard Castle, away, Durham and Northumberland Two): J Taylor, K Grazier, L Humble, M Richardson, L Pape, J Lindsay, D Charlton; G Wilson, A Train, G Ruddock, A Kemp, A Ainsley, K Tumilty, B Glaister-Smith, M Stockdale.
Seghill (v Chester-le-Street, away, Durham and Northumberland Three): J Goodwin, C McVeigh, A Ballantyne, L Lonsdale, J Shaw, D Slater, P Latham; P Quick, N Weir, B Ambrose, D Norris, R Monaghan, C Hogg, G Burgess, C Wood.
