AFTER being understrength and under par last weekend in their defeat at bottom-of-the-table Consett, Bradford & Bingley have several players back for tomorrow’s home derby against Morley in North One East.

“I hope that these don’t sound like excuses as Consett deserved their victory, but we were already without several regulars and then lost three more players last Thursday night,” said Bees’ head coach Anthony Posa.

“But to say that it was a disappointing result was an understatement, and it is clear that we have to work on the whole squad, and the first things that we have addressed this week in training is attitude and preparing properly.”

Back for the fifth-placed Bees tomorrow against the third-placed Maroons are locks Jarman Langton and Harry Gallagher, No 8 Tom Cummins, full-back Aaron Magee and utility back Ben Greaves.

Cleckheaton, whose player-coach Thiu Barnard said last week that there was not much wrong with his team despite six straight defeats, backed up his words with a 46-14 win at Pocklington.

However, the 11th-placed Moorenders are still only four points above the drop zone before they entertain eighth-placed Driffield, who have lost five of their last six.

Bradford Salem, who are ninth, are expecting heavy conditions at second-placed Heath in Yorkshire Division One, but not the kind of mud that splatters your shiny new chinos.

Eleventh-placed Keighley, who have lost their last four, have a crucial match at 13th-placed Old Rishworthians, who have lost their last two since drawing 20-20 at Salem.

Old Grovians, who squeezed past Old Otliensians last weekend in Yorkshire Division Two, have a tough ask at fourth-placed Wath in Yorkshire Division Two, but welcome back Max Kennedy, Luke Hope-Robertson and John Oakes.

Baildon made a good start to the Duxbury Era Mark Two (son Jake is coaching, dad Dave is mentoring him) with a 25-0 victory at Sheffield Medicals, but will still have to play above themselves to survive in Yorkshire Division Three.

The Jenny Laners are likely to move Danny Pollard to the back row and Harrison Strauss to centre for the home game against leaders Wensleydale.

Wibsey and Ossett, who have already been promoted from Yorkshire Division Four, meet at Dimplewells Lane.

The Villagers are six points better off but have played a game more, and although victory for the visitors won’t prove decisive, it will certainly give them a better chance of lifting the crown.

Wibsey may have to play Ross Simpson, who is normally a No 8, in the centre.

Wibsey (at Ossett): J Payton; C Walker, R Moore, R Simpson, S Smith; A Robinson, K Carter; S Birkbeck, J Brown, J Bradbury, E Cousins, J Tordoff, M Darragh, M Kite, L Wilson. Replacements: A Cerson, M Holdsworth, D Carr.