WHARFEDALE will be without both Tom Barrett and Josh Burridge as they bid to notch a second straight away win in National League Two North on Saturday.

Head coach James Doherty said of Burridge: "He tweaked a hamstring in training a week last Tuesday and we selected him for last weekend in the hope that he would be fit, but he wasn't.

"We have decided to give him an extra week to recover."

Jordan Annett moves off the bench to start at fly half in place of Barrett for the trip to Chester, while Richard Rhodes returns from injury in the second row.

Wharfedale's 17-10 victory at Sheffield last weekend lifted them off the bottom of the table but didn't pull them clear of a relegation berth.

"It took us all of last season to get that monkey off our back of not winning away from home, but we have done it in the fifth game this season," said a delighted Doherty.

Key figures in the victory at Abbeydale were Barrett, the centre pairing of Joel Gill and Tom Davidson, lock Adam Howard and flanker James Tyson, but it was hats off to all of the team for their defensive display.

Sheffield battered the visitors' line in the closing stages, but they did not yield, and Doherty admitted: "We showed a lot of maturity and discipline and a lot of character in making all those tackles in the last ten minutes.

"But we also won penalties to help relieve the pressure, taking line-outs and winning other penalties from those.

"However, it wasn't just about making the tackles.

"It was also a matter of being in the right position to defend and then showing energy, which is something that we had been talking about in training all week."

Doherty added: "The midfield defence of Joel Gill and Tom Davidson was excellent, while Adam Howard was the best forward on the pitch, making some big defensive hits.

"James Tyson did what he has done all season, and got the turnover ball that led to Robbie Davidson's try, while Tom Barrett had a good game with his kicking."

Wharfedale may not be out of a relegation berth, but they are now within striking distance of the five clubs immediately above them.

Tenth-placed Chester are one of them, and not only include Doherty's best mate Guy Ford, formerly of Otley and Bradford & Bingley, but also ex-Wharfedale winger Matt Van Sertima.

Doherty said: "Guy is a good leader for them and a strong ball carrier but it isn't all about him.

"However, having notched that away win, we travel with confidence."

Eighth-placed Otley, who drew 20-20 at home to Huddersfield last weekend, hope to have scrum half Max Johnson back for their trip to 11th-placed Leicester Lions.

Wharfedale (at Chester): R Davidson; R Wellock, J Gill, T Davidson, O Cicognini; J Annett, P Woodhead; T Asejevs, D Stockdale, R Ward, R Rhodes, A Howard, G Hedgley, J Tyson, T Whyte. Replacements: J Parkinson, S Graham, S Borrill, A Hancock.