Bradford & Bingley skipper Guy Ford wants his team to earn their week off at Christmas.

He said: “We have had a couple of good wins at home and two rather abject performances away from home.

“The home form is something that we are heavily reliant on this season and need to keep the wins coming at ‘The Hive’.

“We have a little period up until Christmas where we face two of the top sides in the league (Chester and Percy Park) and a side that put 40-plus points past us earlier in Billingham.

“Two of these are at home and we must set our targets high and earn the Christmas break, otherwise come the new year we will be looking down the table rather than up it.”

The Bees, who are fifth from bottom in SSE National League Three North, face leaders Chester, who are coached by former Bees director of coaching Nic Corrigan, on Saturday at Wagon Lane.

Hooker Sam White plays his last game for the Bees before working in Essex.

Bradford Salem, who have a doubt over scrum half Dave Howcroft (calf) hope to get back on the horse at home to Roundhegians in SSE Yorkshire Division Two after their shock defeat at Ripon.

Old Grovians head to Halifax Vandals looking to start another unbeaten run after tasting defeat for the first time this season at home to Old Otliensians last Saturday in SSE Yorkshire Division Four.

However, Vandals have not lost at home in over two months, their only reverse being to a full-strength Wetherby side in September.

Influential fly half Adam Weaving returns to the Grovians squad for the first time in four weeks, and winger Ollie Boggie, who has re-signed for the club, and flanker Tom Whitehead are also included.

Improving Cleckheaton are at Northern in SSE North One East. 

Cleckheaton (at Northern): Jonno Marshall; R Hayden, O Marns, Matt Piper, M Woodhead; I Gordon, J Bickerdike; P Turner, S Worsley, C Piper, D Nolan, G Turton, R Piercy, O Akroyd, R Piper. Replacements: B Thrower, R Bennett, J Wilson.

Bradford Salem (home to Roundhegians) from: D Belcher, C Walker, S Savage, T Williams, S Gardner, D Thomas, A Robinson, D Howcroft, J Bradbury, S Markey, S Davies, S Leach, J Cunliffe, D Pearson, D Hutton, S McLelland, K Falwasser, J Ashworth, S Tasker-Howard.

Old Grovians (at Halifax Vandals) from: C Black-hall, M Worrall, D Roberts, C Cockshott, M Lister,S Robinson, T Dalton, T Whitehead, B Butt, R Brown, A Lesur, J Bradley, A Weaving, J Sowden, A Magee, A Griffin, G Phillips, R Hopkinson, O Boggie, B Brown, J Hinchliffe.