CLECKHEATON'S coach Scott Benton admits: "I have been caught between a rock and a hard place this week."

With his side only two points and one place above a relegation berth in National League Three North, the former England international has been wrestling with a dilemma before their vital home match against second-from-bottom Firwood Waterloo.

He explained before what looks like a must-win contest: "We have people available who haven't been available every week, so do I pick them ahead of players who have been training week in, week out?"

Maybe a glance at their three remaining fixtures after this has helped Benton to make his mind up as Cleckheaton are at unbeaten leaders Huddersfield a week on Saturday, host Wirral (currently sixth) on April 8 and visit Lymm (currentrly ninth) on April 22.

Faced with comfortably their easiest match on paper, Benton says: "I am going with my strongest team as the other players have had their chances earlier in the season."

That means that Ross Hayden, who has been available little due to rugby league commitments and injury, comes in at full back, but whether Lee Queeley starts or not is more up for debate.

Benton added: "Ross is a fast-track player, so I hope that we get some sun between now and kick-off, and he will also be taking the kicks at goal.

"Lee is a more difficult choice as I am not certain exactly certain when he comes back to England, so I may start him on the bench, but he can make an impact from there and cover for several positions."

Otley's director of rugby Peter Clegg is going to rethink their travel plans the next time they visit Luctonians in National League Two North.

The Cross Greeners lost 30-21 at the Herefordshire club after a 340-mile round trip, and Clegg said: "We will travel on the Friday next year as it was too much going on the Saturday and setting off at 7.45am for what was a five or six-hour trip.

"We warmed-up okay but we started slowly and gave away two very sloppy tries, which was probably a result of our long trip."

Otley, who are 11th, entertain next-to-bottom Sheffield Tigers on Saturday, and will have lock Jon Stannard, fly half Nick Coupland and full back Tom Hodson, who came off injured against Luctonians available.

Wharfedale, who are without Rob Baldwin (suspended) and Josh Burridge (injured) will be captained by George Hedgley in their winnable game at Scunthorpe.

Hedgley led Yorkshire Under-20s to Twickenham glory last season.

Adam Howard, who has already played in the front row and second row this season, moves to the back row.

Among the Dale faithful, there is a sense of hope that this weekend's visit to Scunthorpe might mark the end of their long winless streak away from home, which stretches back to December 2015 at Hull Ionians.

With a win, the threat of relegation, which has hung over the Greens since the first day of the season, would almost certainly vanish.

That said, the Greens will come up against a Scunthorpe side playing for their lives at this level, currently being third from bottom, seven points adrift of security.

With only one win in 2017, against Preston Grasshoppers, Scunthorpe are finding failing to find form when they most need it.

When they visited The Avenue back in November, Dale beat them 19-12 in a nervous encounter.

In history at least, Wharfedale have much in common with Scunthorpe.

The Lincolnshire club was formed in 1929 and played their first fixtures in a field owned by a local farmer on the condition that the goal posts be moved after each game so that the animals could return to graze.

Wharfedale (at Scunthorpe): H Bullough; J Tincknell, T Davidson, J Guy, S Jordan; T Barrett, P Woodhead; M Close, D Stockdale, T Asejevs, G Hedgley, R Rhodes, A Howard, L Wilson, J Kitching. Replacements: J Poole, I Larkin, J Huck, C Swainson, J Prell.