Wharfedale have included former England fly half David Pears in their squad of 20 for their home club match tomorrow against Otley (3pm).

Pears played for the club two seasons ago and proved his fitness after a catalogue of serious injuries.

Having done that in the grand manner by hauling Wharfedale away from relegation worries he moved to Worcester, but the Greens will sign the 32-year-old permanently.

The Dalesmen handed Jew-son National League One champions Otley their only two league defeats last season, but setbacks elsewhere meant the Greens could only finish third behind their derby rivals and Birmingham-Solihull.

With no league clashes bet-ween the teams this season, the fans and players will still have two derbies to look forward to - tomorrow and the return at Cross Green on December 26.

The Dalesmen's only outing so far was a curate's egg of a 36-17 victory at Halifax.

Yes, the Greens scored six tries, but defensive frailties allowed North East One champions Halifax three excellent tries of their own.

Halifax had the visitors on the rack in the opening stages, and took a well-deserved 7-0 lead, but the Greens won comfortably enough in the end with tries from Tony Jackson (2), Craig Eccleston (2), Adam Mounsey and Carl Burnett, plus three Mounsey conversions.

Former Bradford Bulls player Andy Hodgson is on the mend after his second broken leg.

The match-winning centre has been working in the gym recently and has started jogging in preparation for a return to full training, but cannot set himself a comeback date yet.

Ilkley, who are at home to Bradford Salem in Yorkshire Two a week tomorrow and away to them the following week in the first round of the Intermediate Cup, warm-up with a home match against Ripon.

Wharfedale (home to Otley) from: J Davies, B Whitfield, A Mounsey, C Eccleston, N Heseltine, D Whitfield, D Pears, G Smith, D Harrison, C Ingram, J Lawn, N Dickinson, M Cummins, D Lister, P Evans, A Capstick, H Verity, S Allen, A Jackson, R Buckroyd.

Ilkley (home to Ripon): I Moffat; A Lewis, P Merkin, N Bell, B Kelly; J Hewitt, C Pring; A Johnson, C Hems, R Dennis, M Newberry, K Bates, A Moffat, B J Fowler, R Midgeley.