NOTHING like a good spat to liven up a Christmas derby, (writes Tony Simpson).

Wharfedale's National Division Two game against Harrogate at The Avenue tomorrow would not have suffered from an excess of seasonal goodwill had it been played last weekend on schedule.

The fact that it will be staged tomorrow at the insistence of league administrators merely rubs salt in the Harrogate wounds inflicted when their efforts to play the game last weekend were thwarted.

Wharfedale were in no doubt early in the day that the Threshfield pitch would not be fit and had an unbiased witness to support that assessment in the shape of local referee Chris Sharp.

Harrogate coach Ralph Zoing, however, felt that the situation needed further time before a decision was made and it was left to match referee Tim Wigglesworth to call off the game an hour before the scheduled start.

At that stage the acrimony surfaced, with strong echoes of a particularly caustic row some years ago between the clubs over a postponed Yorkshire Cup tie.

The common denominators in both disputes were pitch fitness and skiing. Then, Wharfedale argued with remarkable success that a Harrogate decision to call off a tie at Claro Road because of frost had been premature and that the absence of senior players on skiing holidays had precipitated the decision, a claim strenuously denied by Harrogate.

In the event, although the fitness of the Claro Road surface was still questionable at the scheduled kick-off time, Wharfedale were so persuasive in their protestations that the Yorkshire Cup committee ejected Harrogate from the competition and gave the Dalesmen a bye.

Now Harrogate's ire has been raised again by the decision to play the game tomorrow, although in fairness to Wharfedale, that decision is not of their making, nor has it been influenced by them.

League regulations state that a postponed match must be played on the first available date, which in this case is tomorrow, a date designated for use earlier in the season according to National Clubs Association secretary, Ivor Horscroft.

While the claims about seeking to obtain an advantage from a postponement were levelled at Harrogate some years back, this time around the boot is on the other foot, with Harrogate appearing to insinuate that the Dalesmen have been driven by the same motives.

The facts, however, support the Greens entirely. Two well qualified referees felt that the pitch was not fit. A league official, adhering strictly to regulations, pronounced on the date for the re-arrangement. Simple.

It is easy to understand Harrogate's frustrations in that they are still very much in the promotion race and would fancy their chances against a Wharfedale side which is hit by injuries and going through a bad spell. But the situation is not of Wharfedale's making and the onus is on Harrogate to do what they can to put their strongest side on the pitch.

One thing they will not lack in the circumstances is motivation, although Wharfedale should not suffer on that count either.

The postponement of last week's game and a win for Stourbridge at Nottingham has put Wharfedale into one of the three relegation slots in National Division Two.

They have a game in hand over Stourbridge, but a glance at the league table leaves no doubt as to the gravity of the situation and the importance of a good result tomorrow.

Whatever staffing problems Harrogate encounter, the Dalesmen expect to field the same line-up as last weekend, although one of their replacements then, Irishman Gareth Johnston, has returned to Dublin for Christmas.

He has made himself available if required, but it seems that the Greens may need to cover scrum-half as a greater priority.

Sam Cotterill - pictured in action - tweaked a ham-string in training on Monday and while he is confident that the niggle will be cured by tomorrow, Matt Birch is on stand-by and likely to take a replacement berth to provide cover.

Wharfedale are not the only club involved in a Christmas re-arrangement. North Ribbles-dale have Yorkshire One leaders Bridlington as guests at Grove Park tomorrow.

The Settle side were involved in the Powergen Intermediate Cup when the league game was scheduled to be played earlier in the season and tomorrow is the first chance the clubs have had to play.

Ribblesdale's intended opponents tomorrow, Keighley, also have a re-arrangement in the shape of a postponed Yorkshire Shield trip to Leodiensians, but Skipton have a day off tomorrow.