JACK STEARMAN says his New Earswick All Blacks ARLC side "must greatly improve" if they are to complete a quick-fire double over Bentley Good Companions on Saturday and maintain their four-match winning run.

All Blacks beat Bentley 30-24 at 'fortress' White Rose Avenue last weekend to stay third in Pennine League championship one, but Stearman reckons a repeat of that performance will bring about defeat in the President's Cup match away to the same opposition (2pm).

They lost there on the opening day of the season on a narrow pitch which suits the Companions' big trundling pack play, and Stearman says his team's defence must be better prepared.

"In the first half we were really good and scored four tries to their one, but in the second we let them back into it and got a bit lucky," said the player-coach of Saturday's win, which was only confirmed by a last-minute unconverted try.

"The week before at Batley Boys we'd been great in defence but this time we seemed to suffer when it came to our goal-line 'D'. They scored five tries all from inside ten metres, which isn't good enough really.

"We're looking to improve. Psychologically we maybe took our foot off the gas. When we stuck to what we do, we did well, but it was a case again of another 40-minute performance. We dug in, though, and got the result.

"It will be a lot tougher this weekend. Bentley have got a big set of forwards. We played at their place in the first game of the season and they've got a narrow pitch which works in their favour.

"We have to combat that and work on our defence, and hopefully we'll get the result we want."

They will have to do so without Nic Caldwell, a big prop of their own, who is unavailable, but loose-forward Jordan Potter is back in contention.

Meanwhile, the Pennine League's premier division has shrunk to just six teams after Chequerfield, Illingworth and Brighouse continued the exodus.

Drighlington and Thornhill were the first to go, having confirmed their switches to the National Conference League next summer.

It has not been confirmed which league the latest trio are moving to but speculation is they are to go to the Yorkshire League.

Stearman has reiterated All Blacks have no plans to join Sharlston, West Bowling, Fryston, Upton, Queens and Queensbury - some of which are notorious places to visit - in the top tier, unless they get their by winning promotion.

He could not say, either, if his club had any plans to consider applying for the NCL and switching to summer rugby.

"That's not for me to decide," he said. "We're enjoying our rugby league at the moment and are happy where we are.

"I can't comment on what other clubs are doing. They've got to do what they feel is right for their club.

"We're just trying trying to move forward and take our club places and be the best we can be."

Sherburn Bears, handed a walkover win in the Pennine Supplementary Cup last week, host West Bowling 'A' in division four looking to get their promotion push back on track following the derby defeat to Selby Warriors last time out.

Selby have no game.