YORK will be hoping to reassert their promotion credentials when they take on mid-table Ryton in Durham and Northumberland One tomorrow.

An easy 32-15 club win over Yorkshire One promotion-hunting Pontefract has buoyed confidence at Clifton Park.

But having slipped to fourth place following a narrow defeat to league leaders Percy Park, York will be looking to get back to the kind of form that saw seven successive wins at the start of the campaign.

A number of changes to the York side sees Mike Ford take on the number ten shirt, because of the absence of Craig Ventress due to work commitments.

Ford, last season's full-back, is given his first opportunity to stake a claim to a first team spot since opting to play stand-off.

With Nick Ventress also unavailable through injury, Rob Taylor returns to centre and Sam Arkle moves to the wing.

In the forwards, Dave Dorking replaces Aidie Martin at prop and Rob Sparrow takes his place in the second row after being unavailable last week. The back row remains unchanged.

On the bench, but almost certain to come into the reckoning at some stage, is Kiwi John Sharpe.

York University student John Pass, who made an impression as a replacement during the victory against Pontefract, is also on the bench.

Selby, following a superb Intermediate Cup win over Hereford, return to Yorkshire One league action with a tie at Yarnbury.

Yarnbury may only have won two league games this season but Selby have a poor record against them in recent league clashes.

Three changes are made to the Selby starting XV with Martin Bramley looking like making his first start for some time, filling in at full-back for the unavailable Chris McDonald.

In the forwards, Jason Cicero makes a welcome return to the second row replacing Mark Rollinson, who drops to the bench.

Kevin Lowery fills the other second row berth as Matthew Mills is unavailable.

Paul Scott makes a welcome return and substitute prop Mark Tomlinson makes the squad for the first time this season.

Selby's run of home draws in the Intermediate Cup came to an end when they were drawn away to Midlands 2 East outfit South Leicester in the last 16 on January 15.

York Railway Institute welcome Thornensians in a mid-table clash in Yorkshire Three. RI will be banking on their forward pack - and their front three in particular - to subdue a Doncaster outfit which will have as many as seven Fijians on show.

But York RI will be lifted by Malton and Norton's 57-13 demolition of Thornensians in last week's Yorkshire Shield match-up. Malton and Norton ran in nine tries and York RI will be looking to take full advantage of the kind of opportunities that slipped away during a narrow 16-14 loss to Skipton last time out.

Club spokesman Nigel Lowery said: "Things are starting to pick up. We have got a full squad back. Last week was a very narrow loss and we expect the team to be about the same."

Fresh from crushing Thornensians, Malton and Norton now take on the far tougher challenge of high-flying Huddersfield.

Jason Simpson returns from a four-week injury at full-back with Ian Cooke moving to the wing. On the other wing, Ian Mansell also resumes, with Tom Stephenson on the bench.

James McKay and Craig Foote come back to the back row after injury as Chris Robson becomes one of the replacements.

Malton and Norton will be hoping to recapture some of their great early season form and scalp the North 2 East big-spenders.

Pocklington have a busy weekend as they continue their 125th anniversary celebrations at Percy Road.

The Cambridge Women will take on Doncaster Ladies (12.30pm kick-off) as a curtain-raiser to the first team's Yorkshire Two league encounter with Heath.

With just three losses all season, Pocklington will be looking to consolidate their league position against a Heath side floundering near the table's basement.

And coming off an impressive 19-0 victory against Northallerton, which moved the East Yorkshire club into the last 32 of the Powergen Vase, Pocklington will be confident.

Harrogate make the short trek to Doncaster in National League 2.

Updated: 11:18 Friday, December 03, 2004