The season may be only in its third weekend tomorrow, but Bradford and Bingley and Cleckheaton are facing opponents for the second time this campaign.

It's the first round of the national knockouts, and the Bees are at home to Bedford Athletic in the Powergen Cup.

The sides met last Saturday in National League Three North, also at Wagon Lane, with the hosts winning 30-17.

"We made a lot of progress from our defeat at home to Tynedale the previous week, and I am quite positive about things," said Bradford and Bingley's head coach Geoff Wappett.

"We had a good shape, but we need to learn how to play for 80 minutes. We were ahead 30-3 after an hour last week, but conceded 14 points in the last 20 minutes.

"Maybe the players have got entrenched in their ways having had things much their own way for the last couple of seasons, but sides don't lie down in this division like they might have done in North One once you got on top of them."

Noemani (Norman) Tonga is rewarded for a barnstorming ten-minute spell off the bench last weekend with a starting berth in the back row.

He is the fourth Tongan in the Bees squad, along with left winger Joey Nau, centre Richard Tafa and No 8 Latu Makaafi. The other three Tongans all scored a try last week.

Marcus Dracup is on the home bench, having played for Bedford Athletic last season, and skipper Tom Rhodes is hoping to maintain his 100 per cent record with the boot.

Cleckheaton, who have John Bentley back at centre and Naz Salama in the second row, are at home to Darlington Mowden Park, who they beat 16-13 in the North East on the first day of the season.

Alan Bentley said of Cleckheaton: "We have surprised ourselves a bit, but we have more decision-makers in the team this season. You need that at this level as you cannot do things off the cuff as much. You need to play to a game-plan."