THE loss of three players with broken bones last weekend was typical of the misfortune that has bedevilled Skipton RFC this season. On the eve of their return derby game against North Ribblesdale in Yorkshire Two tomorrow at Sandylands (2.15), another chapter of injury woe is about par for the course.

The irony for the Sandylands men is that they have recruited a number of new players this season and in a perfect world would have strong competition for first-team places. Instead, they have had key players - mostly backs - missing for much of the season and have Ian Scrivin (neck), Sean Barraclough (arm) and Nathan Tiffen (rib) ruled out tomorrow with broken bones.

On the credit side, hooker Gareth Hindle and prop Peter Jenkinson, both absent last weekend because of wedding commitments, resume in the front-row alongside Andy Webb, which frees Robbie King to switch from hooker to flanker to take over from Scrivin.

In the second-row, Alan Newhouse is recovered from a damaged arm and takes over from Chris Wright, who has returned to university.

In the three-quarter line, Andy Porter resumes at centre, allowing Steve Cullen to switch to the wing.

With Skipton struggling at the foot of the table and North Ribblesdale hitting a rich vein of form, the odds are stacked very heavily in favour of the Settle men, who have genuine promotion ambitions if they can keep the pot boiling.

At Grove Park earlier in the season they were slightly flattered by the final 23-9 scoreline, but they were the better side on the day and deserved the points from the first league meeting between the sides.

Since then the Settle men have settled nicely into the season and go into 2004 with a string of wins dating back to mid-November under the belts.

A home win tomorrow would therefore be a major upset and it may be that Skipton's primary target will be one of damage limitation.

Of course derby games have a life of their own which occasionally makes nonsense of league form and the Reds will be earnestly hoping that their long run of misfortune gives way to a more advantageous crumbling of the cookie.

Skipton: K Coe; M Cox, P Lane, A Porter, S Cullen; G Litt, M Beech; P Jenkinson, G Hindle, A Webb, A Newhouse, J Morgan, R King, C Kepa, M Davison.