YORK RI will be looking for more of the same when they travel to Skipton in the fourth round of the Junior Cup tomorrow.

They edged out their Yorkshire Two rivals 15-10 in a league encounter at New Lane last Saturday.

RI know that result will count for nothing when the two sides lock horns in the cup even though they may welcome back some key players.

St John's College student Alex Smith is unavailable but both wing forwards Steve Fawcett and Manu Foto hope to be fit, while speedy back Matthew Madigan and hooker Geoff Russell also come into the RI squad.

"It is going to be another tight match," predicted RI team manager Nigel Lowry. "But we are hoping to get through."

They are one of only four sides left in the competition with Heath facing Sheffield Oaks in the other all-white rose county clash.

Most sides in the county are in club action this weekend. Pocklington have a rearranged Yorkshire One encounter at home to Scarborough.

The game was originally scheduled for next March, but Scarborough will be on tour in France on that date and with the Seasiders likely to be involved in the Yorkshire Shield after Christmas the game had to be brought forward three months.

Pocklington introduce 18-year-old Pocklington School scrum half, Henry Mitchell, to their squad.

The inclusion of Mitchell, capped by Yorkshire Schools at Under 16 level, gives Pocklington the option of using Rob Jackson back in his preferred position of wing.

Kevin Bowling remains at fly-half after making an early return last week from a hernia operation. Another last minute inclusion from last Saturday, Ben Hirst, keeps his position in the back row after being out for almost a year with his accountancy exams.

With Pocklington playing their rearranged league game, Malton and Norton now hope to entertain a Wharfedale XV.

Malton had originally been down to play Pock in a friendly so made plans to face Wharfedale instead.

But that did not come off so the first team squad will have a training session starting at 1pm before supporting the 3rd XV who will be playing Pocklington at Malton.

The break will be welcomed by Phil Ryan and Steve Hayhurst as it gives them more time to recover from injury.

York travel to Cleckheaton for a club game but will be fielding a side as strong a side as possible even though they head to Yorkshire One leaders Hull the following week.

Coach Andy Gair said: "In hindsight we made a mistake a few weeks ago when we were on a bit of a roll but sent a largely second team to Redcar for a friendly. When we resumed the league programme we had lost some continuity."

The only York changes are likely to be enforced with Sam Arkle (dead leg), Stuart Davies (groin and ankle), Mark Roberts (groin) and Rob Kama (dead leg) all missing.

Stand-off Roberts will also miss the trip to Hull so Craig Ventress will grab the No 10 shirt for the next fortnight at least.

Ironically, York have re-signed prop Dave Dorking from Cleckheaton, although he will not be available to play for either side tomorrow. However, the tight head man's registration should be rubber-stamped in time for him to play at Hull.

Harrogate coach Ralph Zoing has been forced to make one change to the line-up which recorded a third successive win, two of them away, to carry the team to fourth spot in National Two - and he might have to make another.

Redoubtable scrummager Scott Wilson is a definite absentee through work commitments so namesake Rob steps into the tighthead berth. And flanker Mike Worden, an ever present so far, is a doubtful starter for the visit of struggling Preston Grasshoppers after taking a bang on the head at Stourbridge, If Worden doesn't make it former Worcester back-five man Rijan Slater will step up from the bench and Chris Horner will take his seat.

Elsewhere there is a vote of confidence all round after a five-try romp in the Midlands so there is still no place for former Kendal centre Graeme Sarjeant or scrum-half turned wing Mark Farrar, who might have to give up a place on the bench to Lundy Shackleton, son of former England man Roger. Hooker Mark Erven definitely gets a bench spot and the fourth place is between former England Under 21s prop Dean Hardcastle and Steve Stamper.

Selby travel to Hemsworth, who play in Yorkshire Two, for a club game. It will be the first time the sides have met in many years.

Updated: 12:00 Friday, December 14, 2001