NORTH Ribblesdale are hoping to be able to stick close to last Saturday's winning combination at Pocklington for the visit of second-placed Old Brodleians to Grove Park tomorrow for a Yorkshire Division One game.

One change in the Settle side's make-up is inevitable, with flanker Michael Carr unavailable, and Russ Howarth takes over in the back-row.

There are also doubts surrounding the appearance of scrum-half Neil Gemmell and centre Jonathan Richards, but both have been included in the provisional line-up in anticipation of a positive outcome.

The Hipperholme club are having a very successful campaign, with ten wins from 14 games and the best scoring rate in the division of 358 points from 14 games.

They are currently two points adrift of leaders Hull, who have a match in hand, although with Yarnbury and Scarborough breathing down their necks, competition is coming from all quarters.

Defeat at home to Hull last weekend will doubtless have put an added dimension to the visitors' competitive edge, but victory at Pocklington should not have blunted North Ribblesdale's desire.

They moved above Beverley as a result of the victory and forced Pocklington closer to the drop, but their position is too precarious to allow major sighs of relief and another win against the odds would be a real boon.

Settle has not been a happy hunting ground for the Brods and they may not relish a trip to an inevitably soggy paddock at Grove Park.

North Ribblesdale from: G Evans, S Spensley, J Richards, S Devoy, I Cowperthwaite, J Walker, N Gemmell, J Kelly, P Humphreys, J Thwaite, D Stacey, P Pawson, S Boatwright, M Mortimer, R Howarth, E Roe, M Boatwright and L Brown.