BRADFORD & BINGLEY may be fourth from bottom in North One East, but there is no panic at Wagon Lane.

Secretary Nick Patterson explained before their trip to Malton & Norton: “We are not where we want to be in the table, but it is not a disaster.

“We have suffered an inordinate number of injuries and have also had people unavailable due to work, such as Nick Gore, who was an integral part of the team last season when we won Yorkshire Division One.

“Players will be coming back, and we have also played five out of the top six teams, so there is no panic.”

However, the Bees are unwilling to risk fly half Gerhard Nortier’s leg injury tomorrow, preferring to wait until next weekend’s home match against Driffield.

BAILDON are perhaps glad that they received a walkover against Rotherham Clifton last weekend as the Yorkshire Silver Trophy tie coincided with hooker Dale Tabiner’s wedding, although they would have sent a strong second team if needs be.

The Yorkshire Division Three leaders, who are without lock Tom Peel and flanker Harrison Strauss, are at home to fourth-placed Harrogate Pythons tomorrow, and coach Andy Pollard said: “It will be tough, as area all of the matches in our division this season.”

Leaders Wibsey won’t be dressing up as jockeys this time for their after-match fun against Thirsk at the racecourse in Yorkshire Division Five.

However, the visitors might hand a debut to Michael Kite – the latest player to give the 15-a-side game a go from neighbours Wibsey Warriors.

The High Street club also have centre Adam Armitage in contention after his honeymoon for what should be a stiff test at the third-placed hosts, despite them losing 14-12 at home to sixth-placed Sheffield Oaks last weekend.

Wibsey’s team manager Steve Brooke said: “Thirsk have obviously done some recruiting as they had only won five out of 42 matches before this season.”

BRADFORD & BINGLEY (at Malton & Norton): A Mitchell; A Sutcliffe, B Greaves, J Wright, L Neha; S Oosthuizen, S Jeffery; M Crotch, M Akauola, R Wederall, T Booth, B Mitchell, M Riaz, T Cummins, M Mountain. Replacements: M Cochrane, S White, W Rae.

BAILDON (home to Harrogate Pythons): M Robinson; R Holland, R McUrich, JJ O’Connell, L Strauss; R Hill, J Aaron; A Hewitt, D Tabiner, J Robinson, J Fox, A Magee, R Kershaw, W Tomlinson, D Pollard. Replacements: S Simons, J Strauss, AN Other.

WIBSEY (at Thirsk) from: K Carter, J Sawyer, B Mpofu, C Clough, B Worsley, E Gray, J Rodgers, B Wright, I Khan, A Armitage, C Walker; A Cerson, M Darragh, S Birkbeck, M Grimes, J Birkbeck, J Nall, C Farley, J Brown, D Wilkinson, D Hartley, M Kite.