Evening Press Sport

Inactive York Rugby Union Club will be hoping winter rust has not set in when they make their long-awaited return to action at Clifton Park tomorrow.

A combination of bad weather, illness, and fixture cancellation due to opponents' cup commitments and Christmas and the Millennium means that York's first team have not played since they lost 7-3 at Horden on December 11 last year.

Since then the home game against Goole and the trips to Driffield and Darlington have been called off.

Nigel Durham's men take on Keighley, who are propping up the North East Division One table. Keighley have won only two league games this season and the first was a 15-12 success over York, so revenge is top of the agenda at Clifton Park tomorrow.

Scrum half Durham may well link up at half-back with Colin Ventress, who made a fairly successful league debut against Percy Park in November.

Harrogate coach Ralph Zoing will be looking for more consistency when his side travel to Surrey on the trail of a Jewson's National League One double tomorrow.

Although they beat Camberley by 14-10 last October, if 'Gate can produce their second successive win tomorrow it will be the first time this season that they have strung two wins together this season.

Harrogate field an unchanged side with second team skipper Jeremy Hopkinson retaining his back row place following the pack's excellent performance last week.

After their convincing 17-0 victory over Sheffield Oaks last Saturday, York RI are back to full strength for their Yorkshire Two visit to lower ranked Heath on the trail of a home and away double.

Although RI are fifth in the league only two points separate them from the front runners, Malton and Norton, who are involved in a top of the table battle clash with second placed Dinnington.

RI have seven former Harrogate Georgians players wearing their colours these days although one of them, Jon-Paul Wong, could be making his last RI appearance tomorrow before setting off on a world tour.

Steve Fawcett returns to RI's side after a bout of flu and Ericson Atkins, who has been unavailable for training, will be on the replacements' bench.

Pocklington will be going all out to maintain their four point North East Two advantage over Wheatley Hills when the two title contenders meet at Brunel Road tomorrow.

Lock Sam Anderson hopes he will be able to regain his second row place after suffering a cracked knee cap five weeks ago. Sam Allen has returned to Loughborough College so his place will be taken by Richard Stephenson, who hopes to have recovered from a groin strain.

Selby expect to be unchanged for the second week running when they travel to Old Brodleians tomorrow.

Malton and Norton bring in Dave Hume at centre as Tim Chapman is unavailable for the trip to Dinnington, although Richard Ellis returns at prop after working last week, Andy Barker stepping down. Dave Cooke broke his ankle last week, so Pat Stephenson is in the back row again.

Scarborough dispute third position in Yorkshire League One at Castleford. Boro's new Kiwi acquisition Marcus Edwards, who can play stand-off or centre, retains his place after making his debut against Thornensians last week.

Yorkshire Four side Wetherby entertain Burley, who have two points more than the home club.

Nestl Rowntree's original Yorkshire Five opponents, Trinity and All Saints, have been forced to withdraw from the league so Rowntree turn once again to York to provide the opposition against either their third or fourth teams.

In Rowntree's only team change Askham Bryan student Mick Hird is named at full back as Oliver Turner is unavailable.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.