ONE OF the unfortunate side effects of Cleckheaton's promotion as champions of SSE North East last season and Bradford & Bingley's relegation from National League Three North is that the district was deprived of two cracking derbies.

However, salvation seemed at hand when the clubs were paired together for a Yorkshire Cup quarter-final at Wagon Lane tomorrow.

It was a match that was guaranteed to get the tills ringing at BD16 1LT, with a pre-match luncheon, a share of the gate on the Saturday before Christmas when there isn't a massive amount of rugby counter-attractions, a Christmas party in the evening and money spent over the bar both before and after the game.

But just about all that has been scuppered because the Bees have had to forfeit the match due to a lack of front-row players.

"Gutted is not the word," confessed Bradford & Bingley's secretary Nick Patterson. "The Christmas party will still go ahead but there would have been more at that if the first-team match had been played."

In terms of the lack of front-rowers, Patterson explained: "In a nutshell, the match is off due to a lack of props.

"Simon Hill is carrying a knee injury, Ryan Wederall is not available, back-up front-rower Michael Crotch is injured, hooker Matt Cochrane was injured last Saturday and we don't know anything about Eddie Peglau.

"That left us with Roger Raper and Andy Smith, and we do have two young lads who could have played prop but we didn't feel it was fair to give them their debuts in a Yorkshire Cup quarter-final against Cleckheaton."

Cleckheaton president Alan Bentley said of the call-off: "It is very unfortunate, especially as I am an ex-Bradford captain and was really looking forward to going over there.

"We would not have been at full-strength but it would still have been a good run-out for us."

Peter Morgan, who is chairman of the Yorkshire RFU’s cup competitions committee, said: "It is sad that a club of Bradford & Bingley's stature have not been able to get a side out due to a lack of front-row forwards.

"This is a problem elsewhere as well but maybe it shows what a low priority clubs give to the Yorkshire Cup.

"We haven't decided what to do with Bradford & Bingley , or any clubs that have withdrawn from cup competitions.

"We are leaving it until later in the season to decide."

Cleckheaton will face either Wharfedale or Morley in a semi-final, date and venue to be decided.