TWO clubs who are heading in the opposite directions meet in what should be a fascinating SSE North One East derby tomorrow at Stacks Field (2.15pm).

Hosts Ilkley are seven places and ten points better off than third-from-bottom Bradford & Bingley, whose coach Stuart Dixon admits they are slight underdogs.

"If I had a stiff broom, I would have made some sweeping changes," confessed Dixon after the 29-16 home defeat to Rochdale last Saturday that put them in a relegation berth, "but unfortunately we haven't got the resources."

The Bees do, however, include prop Roger Raper in their squad, although they have an injury doubt about flanker Tom Cokell.

Being expected to win is not a tag that sits entirely comfortably with Ilkley's coach Rhys Morgan, despite the Bees having failed to win any of their four away matches this season.

He said: "Games in this division are even, and that is how I have looked at our matches against Dinnington and Pocklington, while Rochdale have started winning games, while we only just lost at Wheatley Hills last weekend."

Morgan was disappointed with their 37-32 defeat at Wheatley Hills last weekend, despite conceding that the visitors had 22 players unavailable.

He said: "Late changes didn't help us and, as so often happens with away matches after a coach trip, we got off to a slow start and we were playing against the wind and the slope in the first half.

"We were under the cosh for the opening 20 minutes and didn't tackle, and by the time we got our heads around it we had leaked a couple of tries.

"We got back into the game when they got two yellow cards but failing to make three tackles in important positions cost us the game, so my overall feeling was disappointment."

Ilkley will definitely be without lock Steve Burns this weekend after two small knee operations while Stewart Brewer, another former Bees player, is out for the season, having also had a knee operation.

Centre James Crossley, front-rower John Cooksey and flanker or No 8 Rupert Garland are expected to feature for the hosts.