WHARFEDALE are looking for their first league win over Kendal when the Cumbrians visit The Avenue.

The men from Mint Bridge claimed a double over the Dalesmen last season and snatched a third successive league win with a late penalty earlier this term.

Once again, Wharfedale find themselves confronting a side which still has relegation worries to deal with. Although Kendal are ninth in the National Division Two table, the possibility of them being overtaken still exists.

In contrast Wharfedale have now reached that happy state where they cannot be caught no matters what happens below them, with even a defeat at Nottingham doing nothing to prolong the mathematical agony.

"Our games with Kendal always have that added edge of a derby tussle, for although they are a town team, basically we come from the same rural background and have a natural kinship and respect," says coach Peter Hartley.

"When we went up there earlier, they played some really good football in the first-half to get well ahead, but we then matched them after the interval and eventually got our noses infront.

"A late penalty then enabled them to snatch the points.

"Games against them in the past have traditionally involved rugged forward tussles, but this season they seem to have been playing a more expansive game and giving their back plenty of ball. It says something when Casey Mee becomes their third overseas player and finishes up at Wakefield. Last weekend they were beaten 23-12 at home by Sedgley Park and they've been on a bit of a losing run of late, but they'll be especially keen to arrest that slide against us and I'm sure we're in for a tough match."

While on the face of it a defeat at Nottingham was something of a disappointment, Hartley was not too unhappy with the way the way the side performed.

"I could not fault the team for effort and application and overall we didn't play badly," he says. "But they also played very well and on balance, just about deserved the win. We missed a couple of chances, perhaps, but I thought we played pretty well."

Injuries continue to impact on the selection process. Sam Allen is still having problems with his knee ligaments and stands down for another week, but Hedley Verity is expected to be fit after taking a bang on the nose at Beeston. Simon Hargreaves is on the bench as a precaution.

Further forward, Neil Dickinson tweaked his neck last weekend and goes onto the bench, with Phil Peel and Craig Ingram starting and Dickinson checking his injury later in the week.

In the backs, the Wharfedale combination remains unchanged.