KEIGHLEY will go into 'the ultimate test' on Saturday full of confidence when they head to unbeaten leaders Bridlington for their top-of-table clash in Yorkshire Division One.

Their hosts have won 11 out of 11 this season, have scored the most points (375) and conceded the least (120).

But Keighley head coach Danny McGee isn't ruling out the chances of his second-placed team at Dukes Park.

The Rose Cottage side are on a six-match winning run themselves and have only conceded 153 points, which is the second best defensive record in the division.

McGee said: "Bridlington away is the ultimate test, but if we play as we have done for the past few weeks – with heart and with soul – then we have an opportunity.

"With prop Matthew Hagyard out with a hamstring injury, we will again have to mix and match in terms of positions, but we did it at Selby the weekend before last and won, and could have some other players back."

Keighley warmed up for this weekend (if that is the right word) with a 14-5 home win over York on a desperately chilly afternoon that was punctuated by sleet showers.

"It was cold on the touchline, it got quite dark at one point and I was glad I wasn't playing", laughed McGee, "but we showed character to win. Sometimes it was good, aggressive defence and sometimes it was scrambled defence but we kept York out until we made two successive errors to help them score a try just before half-time.

"The message at half-time was 'don't make mistakes and play keep ball', and we managed to do that for long periods until we scored a good try ourselves."

Bridlington, who visit Keighley on April 1, are leading the table by 13 points but only seven separate Keighley (39) from sixth-placed Scarborough, and both the latter and Old Brodleians (fourth with 35 points) have a game in hand.

Bradford Salem, who had a fine home win over West Leeds last weekend, may hand a debut off the bench to West Bowling product Max Trueman.

Salem are without skipper Andy Robinson, centres Jake Abram and Harry Hall and youngster Will Collins for their derby at Yarnbury.

Back, however, come Dean Pearce, who will play fly half, as he has done for Bournemouth in National Three League South, and flankers Ethan Perkins and Callum Manchester, all three of whom have had calf injuries.

No 8 Christian Baines wears the captain's armband.

Bradford Salem (at Yarnbury): D Belcher; N Fontaine, K Brook, C Wood, R Smith; D Pearce, M Booth; T O'Sullivan, A Veitch, J Bradbury, J Morrell, J Cunliffe, E Perkins, C Baines, C Manchester. Replacements from: L Chaudron, B Whitaker, A Wood, M Trueman.