WITH a 95 per cent chance of rain tomorrow morning in Millom, Bradford Dudley Hill are expecting nothing but a heavy pitch for their Ladbrokes Challenge Cup second-round tie.

“We have probably played there in the past when we shouldn’t have played,” admitted Hill’s first-team manager Steve Wright.

The Parry Laners may have gained promotion from National Conference League Division Two via the play-offs, while Millom were relegated, but Hill have lost the last three times they have played at the impressive Devonshire Road ground.

On two of those occasions Hill were light on numbers.

However, although joint vice-captain Tony Williams is unavailable due to work, a depletion in numbers won’t be the case tomorrow as they are taking a squad of 20 to Cumbria, where victory could mean a shot at either a semi-professional or professional club.

Wright said: “We know that Tony is going to have to work one Saturday in three, so we have named Aiden Batey as a joint vice-captain.

“Although he tends to let his actions speak for himself, we know that Aiden will be available for pretty much every game so that there should always be at least one vice-captain on the pitch.”

Simon Sewell will move from wing to scrum half to compensate for Williams’ absence, while winger Neil Wall is back from suspension.

Wright added: “Millom have named pretty much the same squad as for the first round (beat Scottish champions StrathmoreSilverbacks 36-18 at home), and have a lot of young lads.

“They have a decent pack, but so do we, and with the next round being played on the weekend of February 24-25, there is only this weekend and next weekend to play it.”

Hill will be cheered on by spectators among a 54-seater coach, which also contains the players and officials.

Queensbury will be hoping to extend their unbeaten run in 2018 when they welcome St Helens-based Haydock in the Xamax BARLA National Cup.

After a dismal start to their Pennine League campaign, Bury have had a change in fortunes since the New Year, and will be hoping for a successful cup run as any league success seems out of reach this season.

Haydock had a fairy-tale run in last year’s Challenge Cup, reaching the fourth round where they were beaten by Oldham, but finished 2017 in mid-table in the North West Premier Division.

In the Pennine League’s Andrew Bennett Memorial Trophy, Wyke will face Moorends for a place in the next round.

The black and whites sit fifth in Division Two Central, and face a Moorends Thorne side who are flying high in the Division Two East, being top of the table with nine wins and two losses.

It will be a tough test for a young Wyke side at home to Doncaster-based Moorends.

The only game in Division Two Central is between Clayton and leaders Oulton Raiders, a fixture that has been re-arranged after the match was postponed due to weather.

Fourth-placed Clayton went down 52-12 to unbeaten Raiders earlier this season, and with the Raiders' first team also in action in the Challenge Cup will be hoping to pick up a result against the Leeds team.

Clayton’s game against Woodhouse was abandoned last week with Clayton in the lead due to a player injury.

Meanwhile, the Raiders rampaged to a 56-6 victory over Beeston Broncos.