BRADFORD & BINGLEY have suffered a blow to their ambitions in North One East with the immediate retirement of James Morton on health grounds.

The powerful goal-kicking winger or centre, who is in his third spell at Wagon Lane, has hung up his boots due to a heart problem.

Bees secretary Nick Patterson said: “'Morts' felt unwell after the game at Huddersfield YMCA two weekends ago and later went to hospital, where I believe the problem was diagnosed.”

Morton, who takes some stopping when he has a head of speed up and is known for his passion for gymwork, has also had spells at Otley, making one first-team appearance off the bench, Keighley Cougars, where he played a season for the reserves in 2015, and Bradford Dudley Hill.

He also played for a Keighley RUFC President’s XV in their festive match at Burnley last season.

Meanwhile, the Bees are also set to be without skipper Tom Booth, who badly twisted an ankle during their 29-17 defeat at home to Malton & Norton last weekend.

In addition, bumps and bruises mean that the tenth-placed Bees have delayed selection for their visit to Percy Park, who are one point and one place higher.

BRADFORD SALEM are without John Bradbury, Josh White, Scott Smith and Martins Bokiss – their man of the match last week at Beverley – as they welcome Yorkshire Division One derby rivals North Ribblesdale to Shay Lane.

However, although two of the quartet are props, Salem are more than compensated by the potential return of eight players in Harry Hall, Matt Booth, Will Collins, Chris Watson, Gundars Griekis, Nick Fontaine, Jake Abram and former England international Dan Scarbrough.

Ribb defeated visitors Selby 34-7 last weekend to notch their first win of the season and leapfrog them at the bottom of the table.

"If I had been a betting man, knowing of Selby's troubles and how good Ribb can be at home, I would have predicted that result," said Salem's first-team manager Neil Klenk.

"But it is still a game that we are targeting, although one that we are not taking lightly.

"Matt Speres has returned for them, and he is a good player, and they can win games through their workmanlike pack and No 10. We are expecting a tight game."

BAILDON, like the Bees, have delayed selection for their Yorkshire Division Three derby at Old Otliensians due to injuries and unavailabilities.

WIBSEY are missing key players James Brown (knee) and Luke Helliwell (ankle) at unpredictable Halifax in Yorkshire Division Four North West.

Bradford Salem (home to North Ribblesdale) from: R Smith, D Belcher, C Malarkey, H Hall, A Robinson, A Batey, D Scarbrough, J Abram, M Booth, J Simpson, W Collins, S Markey, G Griekis, C Watson, S Gardner, C Wood, A Veitch, M Darragh, N Fontaine, C Baines.

Wibsey (at Halifax) from: S Birkbeck, A Rose, R Hall, D Carr, L Wilson, S Foulds, D Wilkinson, C Willoughby, J Birkbeck, R Simpson, J Nall, C Farley, S Taylor, N Light, R Greenwood, K Carter, B Worsley, J Sawyer, R Goldsborough, J Cull, J Rogers, A Armitage, B Wright.