BRIGHOUSE Rangers are crossing their fingers that influential half-backs Troy Ambler and Jamie Barraclough will be back in tandem tomorrow when they welcome Sharlston Rovers in the Pennine League Championship Division.

Rangers recently appointed joint coaching duo Marlon Billy, who was No 2 to Halifax supremo Richard Marshall, and former Leeds Rhinos and Huddersfield Giants captain Darren Fleary.

The pair will be hoping to return to winning ways after two defeats on the road at old rivals Ovenden and Illingworth.

The formbook suggests that there is little to choose between the teams, with both registering one win out of three, but Rovers are known to have a number of returnees from the professional game back in their ranks and showed their class in seeing off gallant Wyke 44-28 in last week’s Bartletts BARLA Yorkshire Cup.

Clayton will travel to Eastmoor Dragons full of confidence following their home win over neighbours Queensbury last time out.

The Villagers have marksman Ryan Wilkinson in deadly form with the boot, plus the splendid kicking game of stand-off Jack Bowman to lead the challenge in trying to make up ground on Division Two Central joint leaders Oulton Raiders and Woodhouse Warriors, who are undefeated so far.

Birkenshaw Bluedogs make the journey to Beeston Broncos with talisman Damian Smith back in action after his summer stint at Dudley Hill.

Birky, who will be refreshed after a week’s lay-off, look to the giant three-quarter to add the elusive deadly try-scoring quality to their back line.

The Bluedogs' marked improvement in the forwards under the direction of stalwart Paul Bancroft will once again seek to dominate, which bodes well for their second success of the campaign.