BRADFORD & Bingley coach Hugh Gumbs admits that Cleckheaton will be a difficult nut to crack tomorrow in their North One East derby at Wagon Lane.

After all, the Moorenders have won their last four meetings, with the latest being by 23-10 on a bitterly cold afternoon at Bingley last December.

Cleckheaton also triumphed 33-7 away the previous season, winning 27-19 at Moorend in the same campaign, while the red and whites were victorious by 25-17 there in September 2018.

Gumbs said: "Cleckheaton like muddy conditions - they have a big pack, two very big centres and a 10 who kicks very well."

However, the coach of the seventh-placed Bees is taking heart from their 23-20 defeat last weekend at Morley, who went to the top of the table as a result.

He said: "Morley are very similar to Cleckheaton but we went there with many changes and only lost because of a bit of stupidity in the end.

"It was a game that we lost rather than Morley won but we have lots of injuries this weekend.

"We are hoping that Ali Macdonald is back - his child has been ill with norovirus - and that skipper Tom Booth has recovered from a hamstring injury, while we also hope to have Roger Raper in the front row."

Thiu Barnard, coach of sixth-placed Cleckheaton, who are five points better off than their hosts, admitted: "Games against Bradford & Bingey are always very physical but we have a very strong squad available, including Brad Marsden."

Cleckheaton beat visitors Malton & Norton 29-22 last time out almost a fortnight ago, and Barnard confessed: "In the first half we should have been 20 or 30 points up and what we said at half-time the players did the opposite in the second half.

"Our problem is that we are only playing for 40 minutes and then in the other half we forget to play."

In Yorkshire Division One, Keighley have a must-win home match at home to Hullensians.

The visitors, who are bottom of the table, have only won one of their 11 matches so far, beating Pontefract 34-26 in late September, while Keighley are only two places higher, despite having won two of their last three matches.

Bradford Salem, buoyed by their 21-16 home victory over third-placed Beverley last weekend, will need to be on their mettle at Dinnington, who have won four out of five at home this season but lost five out of six away.

Salem have a selection headache of the best kind as they may be reluctant to drop any of the 18 who played last weekend but have Yorkshire under-18 player Morgan Mirzaali, Sam Dunn and Connor Malarkey to potentially come back in.

Old Grovians are awash with props before their tricky Yorkshire Division Two trip to Wheatley Hills.

"We have struggled for props but this week we have six available in what is a very strong squad," said Grovians coach Andy Hinchliffe.

The Doncaster hosts are fifth and Grovians third, and Hinchiffe added: "I think it will be a close game."

Baildon have the difficult task of toppling Yorkshire Division Three leaders Knottingley on their own patch.

Knottingley's only defeat so far in 2019-20 was by 20-19 at Leeds Corinthians, who, alongside Baildon and Knottingley, seem to be in a three-horse race for the two promotion places.

Mind you, third-placed Baildon, only a point behind the two front-runners, have won their last five matches but have played a game more than both.

Wibsey, who are eighth, are at sixth-placed Halifax Vandals.