BRADFORD & Bingley may have only won four of their first ten matches this season in SSE North One East – but they haven't ruled out a promotion bid.

The Bees have risen to ninth on the back of a 50-0 thrashing of cellar dwellers Horden last Saturday at home, and reckon that the fixture list has treated them harshly so far.

Club secretary Nick Patterson explained: "We have already played four of the current top six away from home, so they have all to come down to Wagon Lane later this season.

"The only one of the top six that we have played at home so far are Percy Park, and we beat them 17-15 on October 18."

The Bees lost 22-13 at Dinnington (now fifth) on the opening day of the league season, have been beaten 20-8 at Pocklington (sixth) on October 4, went down 11-3 at Sheffield (first) on October 18 and were on the wrong end of a 32-13 scoreline at Ilkley (fourth) on November 1.

Patterson added: "If we can keep on winning and reverse the results of those four matches at Wagon Lane, then we have a chance.

"It would be nice to go up this season but if not there is always next season, after which the leagues will be re-jigged for 2016-17."

The Bees face the long trip to 12th-placed Alnwick tomorrow and could well have prop Eddie Peglau in the frame after injury and work commitments.

Seventh-placed Cleckheaton are much-changed for their SSE National League Three North home match against Billingham, who are one point and one place better off.

They are without player-coach Rob Afoa Peterson, who has shoulder trouble, Tom Austin (knee), Lee Queeley (hamstring) and Paul Turner and Sam Wood (both unavailable).

Into the team come teenage Yorkshire Under-20 final triallist Josh White at flanker, lock Grant Turton, winger Craig Blackburn and centre Danny Vento, who is normally a back-rower.

SSE Yorkshire Division Three leaders Old Grovians will be without Jack Hartley until the new year after the throat injury he sustained last weekend at Old Otliensians.

They will also be without full back Ben Brown (concussion) at home to ninth-placed Rotherham Phoenix.

Old Grovians' director of rugby Martin Whitcombe said: "This is our 11th league match but only our fourth at home, so we are very grateful."

Baildon, who are 11th, hope to continue their general improvement at home to seventh-placed Bramley Phoenix.

Cleckheaton (home to Billingham): R Hayden; C Blackburn, J Wilson, D Vento, M Woodhead; Mike Piper, J Bickerdike; C Piper, B Thrower, C Thompson, A Dawson, G Turton, J White, R Piper, O Akroyd. Replacements: J Crowther, A Piper, J Toulson.