YORK entertain Consett at Clifton Park in the second round of the Intermediate Cup tomorrow in a dress rehearsal for their big league meeting in a couple of weeks time.
York top Durham and Northumberland One with Consett tucked in second place, having lost 28-3 last Saturday to unbeaten Percy Park.
York make just one change from the side which won at Hartlepool Technical Day School Old Boys. In the forwards, Andy Kay moves to blind side flanker to accommodate the return of Ian Davies at number eight.
The added weight that Davies brings to the pack and his try-scoring potential adds another dimension to York's play as his hat-trick against Ponteland earlier this season demonstrated.
The only change in the backs is on the wing where Sam Arkle replaces Rob Kama who has a hamstring injury.
There is no doubt that York's coaching staff will have been emphasising the need to eliminate the numerous errors and lack of discipline that has reduced their points scoring opportunities this season. Although the tally of 36 penalties against four at Hartlepool TDSOB last week says as much about the referee as it does about York, the penalty tally in all matches has given cause for concern.
With stand-off Paul Scott and scrum-half Mathew Smith unavailable and Toby Pemberton nursing ten stitches in an ear wound, Selby are forced into an untried pairing at half back for the second round visit of Yarnbury.
Simon Hall takes over the stand-off slot from his usual position on the wing and David Bramley makes his first appearance at scrum-half for the first team since the 2002/03 season.
Richard Topping makes his first start of the season in place of Hall on the wing. In the forwards, Mark Rollinson starts in the second row with Mathew Mills switching to number eight in place of the unavailable Wright Phillips.
Yarnbury, despite their tenth place in Yorkshire League division one, have won only one match this season - against bottom club Dinnington.
However, Selby's recent record against them is poor, losing both home and away last season with stand-off Steve Galbraith doing most of the damage.
Malton and Norton, who have made a great start to life in North East Two, are also in Intermediate Cup action at struggling North 1 side Sheffield.
Skipper Chris Creber is out with a hamstring injury so his fly-half slot goes to Rob Tate.
Andy Mitchell takes over the captaincy as vice-captain James McKay rests a thigh injury.
Pocklington welcome Barnsley to Percy Road in the second round of the Powergen Junior Vase.
Pocklington will be renewing old rivalries when they meet Barnsley - the two clubs traditionally met on the first Saturday of the season in the days before league rugby, but have not met since the inception of leagues.
Yorkshire Two side Pocklington are a division above Barnsley, but the South Yorkshire side have made big improvements in recent times and have lost only one league game in the past two years.
Tomorrow Pocklington select one squad for the first XV game and the Panthers who are just across the Humber at Barton (both meet 1.15 pm). They welcome back 21-year old back row Dan Wilson, who was on holiday last week, while 17-year-old Nick Bennett is back in the frame after his Yorkshire commitments.
Updated: 10:57 Friday, October 15, 2004
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