The Bees are suffering from a pack crisis as their season enters a critical phase.

"We have major problems in the front five," said their director of rugby Geoff Cooke ahead of tomorrow's North two east home game against Horden.

"Prop Darren Cockburn has had to fly home to New Zealand because his father has had a heart attack, and of our locks Barry Clark is suspended, Rob Woodhead is unavailable and Jon Stow is still struggling with a hamstring injury as far as I am aware.

"The front row is looking like it will be Roger Raper, Peter Scott, who I hope is in one piece having returned from a skiing holiday, and Andy Smith, but I have no idea who will be in the second row.

"And I might even have to put Mark Heap, who has started a club suspension, on the bench as front-row cover."

With Sheffield two points ahead having played a game more, there is little room for error regarding the automatic promotion place either, and Cooke added: "Horden are third in the table on the back of a very good goal-kicker, an uncompromising attitude and a workmanlike pack."

And looming on the horizon are two even bigger games - Sheffield at home in the league a week tomorrow and Cheltenham away in the Powergen Intermediate Cup quarter-final the Saturday after.

Keighley may be leaders of Yorkshire Division Two, but they are also expecting a tough encounter at home to Skipton, whose backs will take some watching.

The hosts prefer Nigel Curr to warren Knowles on the wing, and have lost Andy Bennett (back) and Lee Gordon (hip) after injuries last Saturday at leos. In come lock Peter Southgate and flanker Mark Lister.

Fellow front-runners Cleckheaton welcome back Mark Doherty from Harrogate to play on the wing in their home North Division One derby against Morley. He replaces Alex Burnham (hamstring).

Wibsey, who have slipping to second-from-bottom in Yorkshire Division Five, ring the changes at Wharfedale Rams.

An important one is the return of Mark Ryan to the second row after suspension, but unfortunately he replaces the injured Damien Cope.

The front row has much more experience and includes Graham Larkin at hooker and john Hall at prop in place of the youthful Andy McDonnell and Andy Rose.

But the centres are also changed. Phil Deacon is unable to travel so last week's debutant Brad McHale switches inside to partner Joe Battle, who comes in for Dan Horsfall.

Richard Burton is promoted from the bench to the wing, McDonnell, Rose and Horsfall making up the bench.

Cleckheaton (home to Morley): A Green; M Piper, J Tozer, J bentley, Mark Doherty; C Paterson, G Smith; S Johnson, S Bishop, C Mason, C Rika, R Wilson, J Kay, O Ackroyd, C West. Replacements: N Gillan, M Terry, A Burnham.

Bees (home to Horden) from: B Greaves, A Firth, R Padgett, M Booth, S McManus, J-P Rimmington; T Rhodes, J Nau; R Raper, P Scott, A Smith, M heap, A N Other, S O Else, I Judson, C Halau'ifa, M Thomas.

Keighley (home to Skipton): C Smith; M Cox, J Hinchliffe, K Young, N Curr; J Harrison, S Amos; R Riley, D Pullan, A Webb, P Salmon, P Southgate, M Lister, P Schofield, L Sugden. Replacements: E Griffin, W Knowles, J Gibson.

Wibsey (at Wharfedale Rams): R Greenwood; R Burton, J Battle, B McHale, P Woolston; R King, A Todd; P Garside, G Larkin, J Hall, G Rackstraw, M Ryan, M Haddock, R Hands, S Gregory. Replacements: A Rose, A McDonnell, D Horsfall.