Wharfedale play only their third home match since mid-December on Saturday, looking for their first victory since knocking Rosslyn Park off the top of the SSE National League One table.

The visitors are Sedgley Tigers, always doughty opponents in closely-contested matches.

This season has not been going well for them, however, and, after last week’s disappointing defeat at fellow strugglers Macclesfield, they find themselves in second-from-bottom bottom place.

Wharfedale’s three bonus points from their last two difficult away matches have widened the safety gap above the relegation places to 13 points.

Also the Greens are aware that a decent victory on Saturday could stretch that gap to 18 points with only ten matches left, six of them at The Avenue.

Although with a more favourable rub of the green at both Blaydon and Fylde, he could have come away with wins, coach Tom McGee is nevertheless very pleased with the way the team have performed.

“We have been playing well in defence and in the contact area, and our fitness speaks for itself, finishing both matches so strongly."

He knows that, given their league position, Sedgley Tigers will come out with all guns blazing. “We just need, for once, to get off to a good start!”

No 8 Alastair Allen is missing on family business, so Aaron Myers, who returned to the squad last week after a long absence through injury, moves to the middle of the back row.

Prop Adam Howard returns to the starting line-up, Joe Altham moving to the bench, where he is joined by the familiar figure of James Tincknell, released back to the Greens on loan from Doncaster.

Wharfedale (home to Sedgley Park): A Whaites; L Davies, J Donkin, L Gray, S Horsfall; T Barrett, P Woodhead; A Howard, S Graham, M Tampin, R Brown, R Rhodes, T Wareing, A Myers, D Solomi.  Replacements: J Altham, I Larkin, J Mason, J Gough, J Tincknell.