THE Tigers will be tamed.

That is the message coming from Sandhill Lane ahead of Selby's Yorkshire One scuffle with fellow mid-table languishers Sheffield Tigers.

Selby, on a mission to make 2002 a year to remember, have started to piece together a useful run after starting the campaign in the mire at the bottom.

And with Sheffield next in their sights - and just three points ahead in the table - Selby will be out to claw their way further up the standings.

The Sandhill Lane side have nine games remaining - including ties against all four of the top teams - and it is more than possible that they can finish as the top local side if not in the top half of the table.

But first they must continue the same sort of form which has seen them pick up five points from a possible six and beat the Tigers by 42-19 earlier in the season.

"We are looking for more of the same," said team manager Richard Besley. "Having played them earlier in the season, we know exactly what to expect.

"When we beat them, we dominated the forward exchanges, so we will want to see the same sort of performance."

Matt Smith is still out through injury and he could be joined in the treatment room by John Webster, who suffered a knock against Pontefract.

However, Mickey Parsonage and Duncan Phillips could both come back into contention after receiving missing the Ponte' game due to stitches for cuts received in the victory over West Park Bramhope.

York will be after a repeat display when they travel to Beverley.

The Clifton Park side turned in the best display of what has been an wildly unpredictable season against their East Yorkshire rivals.

Now, with the chance to finish as the area's top local side the only thing left to fight for, York will want the same sort of performance.

With no fresh injury worries, Andy Gair's men are set to be at full strength.

Pocklington will attempt to follow Malton and Norton's example when they entertain North Ribblesdale.

Malton pulled off the shock of the first round of the Yorkshire Shield when they travelled to Settle and toppled the Yorkshire One side 29-17.

And having seen this turn around, Pock, who are adrift at the bottom of the table, will take some heart ahead of tomorrow's tie.

But team manager Phil Gilbank believes the Percy Roaders need to add some much needed consistency to their game.

"It is a winnable game for us, but we are not playing for the full 80 minutes," he said. "You could see that against Sheffield Tigers (a game Pock lost 22-9), we looked in complete control against the win, but then we took our foot of the pedal."

Stewart Rowley returns to the squad after a three-week absence with a groin strain, while North Yorkshire policeman Guy Wilson is also included after work commitments kept him out of the side.

League points top York RI's agenda tomorrow when they entertain West Leeds at New Lane.

The Railwaymen are poised precariously close to the drop zone in Yorkshire Two, but a victory tomorrow against the club currently propping up the table will help them pull clear.

Following Malton and Norton's good win and performance at North Ribblesdale on Saturday there is only one enforced change to the side to face Hessle in a Yorkshire Three encounter at The Gannock.

Flanker Phil Ryan is unavailable and his place will be taken by Dave Knaggs who moves up from the subs bench. Second team skipper Rob Hicks will fill the vacant replacement spot.

Harrogate are refusing to let their promotion hopes die, despite lying six points off the second promotion spot.

With Graeme Dawe's Plymouth Albion almost certain to win the title, everyone else in National Two are playing for the runners-up place.

Sedgley Park, led by former Welsh international and former 'Gate transfer target Colin Stephen, currently occupy second spot, with Orrell, who are now being bank-rolled by Wigan Warriors RL supremo Dave Whelan, in third.

Fylde, the former club of England legend Bill Beaumont, take up fourth sport, leaving Harrogate to hang on to the coat tails in fifth.

However, with 11 games - including fixtures against all the top sides barring Plymouth - and 22 points still to go, don't bet against the Claro Roaders just yet.

Kendal will attempt to put a spanner in the work, though, when they make the trip to North Yorkshire tomorrow.

"Kendal will be a difficult game for us," said team manager Graham Siswick. "We've tended to have our worst performances against them in the past two seasons, so we will have a point to prove against them.

"They'll be no lack of motivation. We're up near the top of the table and have to set the record straight.

"The way the fixtures have fallen means we've got all the top teams, barring Plymouth, to play at home and all the bottom sides away, so if we could get a good run together we can gradually creep up the table."

'Gate will tinker slightly with their back row tomorrow, with Mike Worden returning to the starting line-up, while Chris Horner drops to the bench.

Updated: 11:34 Friday, January 25, 2002