Silsden return to action tomorrow with a trip to The Potteries to take on bottom club Stone Dynamoes - and are determined to come back with a win.

They had been due to Atherton LR at home last weekend, but had to postpone the fixture because the Cougar Park hospitality suite was in use.

The pitch and terracing was available to Silsden but the rugby club had rented out the bar and hospitality suite. The North West Counties League rules require hospitality to be made available for opposing club's directors at half-time and a bar and hot food provided for the players after the game.

"It's a shame, the ground was standing idle because we cannot have the facilities we need to satisfy league requirements. We did ask Atherton if they would come on Friday evening but they declined," said Silsden manager Andy Geary.

He added: "We are at the mercy of the Cougars and it's their ground so that's only right and proper as far as we are concerned.

"We knew the pitfalls as well as the benefits when we approached them to share the ground. We cannot have any complaints about the way the rugby lads have treated us either."

The previous week they played second-placed Alsager Town but have put in some hard training during their enforced lay-off.

"We didn't want a blank weekend in mid-winter. There are no midweek games arranged because of fears of the weather so it means we have had a whole fortnight off, " added Geary.

"That will affect the fitness and possibly the form of the players. If everyone was having a mid-season break we would all be in the same boat but we are the odd ones out I'm afraid," he said.

Tomorrow's game should give them a comfortably return to action, but they know that no teams can be taken for granted.