WIBSEY'S manager Steve Brooke doesn't want to tempt fate, but feels that playing at Northfield Road could give his side the edge in what amounts to a winner-takes-all clash at home to Bramley Phoenix in Yorkshire Division Four North West tomorrow.

"I am surprised that it has come to this," said Brooke, reflecting on four defeats in five matches which has left them needing to beat their derby rivals to claim the last of the four berths in their division for the 'Super Eights'.

"But it has basically been due to player availability due to injuries, and some weeks we have had nine or ten out.

"However, we have a strong side available this week as Michael Kite, Marcus Grimes, Sam Foulds, Jimmy Rogers and Danny Conroy are back in the mix, and prop Simon Birkbeck is 50-50 after the rib injury that he suffered recently in our home win against Halifax.

"We know all of the bumps and bruises on that Northfield Road pitch and it a few years since Bramley Phoenix played there, so hopefully that will make the difference.

"It certainly won't be down to a lack of players."

If Wibsey lose, it will open the door to Bramley pipping them as the latter's last match of the regular season is at home to bottom-of-the-table Thirsk.

Baildon seemed certain to drop to the lowest tier a few weeks ago, but two successive wins have breathed new life into their survival bid in Yorkshire Division Three.

"The whole atmosphere around the club has changed", admitted player-coach Robbie Hill, "and that has been down to the performance of every one of the first XV's players. We have given ourselves a chance."

The basement boys hope to continue their revival at Harrogate Pythons.

Bradford Salem, who need points themselves to be secure in Yorkshire Division One, have a props crisis at Heath, slotting flanker or centre Conor Wood in there, but give a start to influential back Max Trueman.

Salem's chairman Neil Klenk said: "We are without John Bradbury, whose mother's funeral is today, so he won't be in a fit state to play, while Gundars Griekis has nipped home to Latvia for the weekend.

"Meanwhile, neither Josh White nor Brendan Birkett are available. We might be able to persuade Tom O'Sullivan to come out of retirement, but we can put Conor in there as he has played front row before."

Ninth-placed Keighley have a derby at North Ribblesdale, who, as usual recently, are battling to avoid the drop.

Old Grovians have locks Charles Cockshott and Will Blacxkhall back for the Yorkshire Division Two match at Thornensians, which is just as well as Matt Dakin and Ollie Pratt are unavailable.

Joe Sowden and Jack Hartley are given the chance to rest their weary bones, so Liam Harrison is promoted from the bench to the back row, while Pad Burns will come in at centre after impressing as a replacement full back last week in the defeat at home to leaders Pontefract.

Bradford Salem (at Heath): D Belcher; M Trueman, H Hall, A Robinson, R Smith; M Booth, J Simpson; W Collins, A Veitch, C Wood, B Whitaker, E Cousins, S Savage, C Baines, N Fontaine. Replacements from: M Bokiss, C Watson, S Markey, J Abram.