THE champagne is still on ice for Bradford Salem, who are not counting their chickens despite being on the brink of title glory.
The Heaton club only need one point from their remaining three matches in SSE Yorkshire Division Two and, even though they are not at full strength at tenth-placed Goole, they are still taking the bubbly with them.
Former England international Dan Scarbrough is unlikely to risk his abductor injury until they play their Yorkshire Shield semi-final against Yarnbury or West Leeds, whenever that may be.
They will be further depleted by the absence of potent full back Danny Belcher but back come winger Connor Malarkey and second row Rhys Green, with Ryan Smith switching to No 15.
It is not often that sixth-placed KEIGHLEY can be accused of 'failing to turn up' but that was certainly the case last Saturday at second-placed West Park Leeds, when they were beaten 38-3.
"We got hammered," said Keighley's director of rugby Graeme Sheffield, and things don't get a whole lot easier with the visit of fifth-placed Barnsley.
Keighley select from 20 but will be without scrum half David Needham (injured) and replacement prop Sam Booker (suspended) for the rest of the season, although it is hoped that flanker Elliott Barker and second row Leigh Sugden can both play.
Like Salem, OLD GROVIANS are also chasing silverware, and a bonus-point win at home to Stocksbridge will give them the Yorkshire Division Three championship while, at the other end, points are vital for different reasons when BAILDON visit AIREBOROUGH.
Seventh-placed OTLEY are at basement boys Stockport in National League Two North, while fifth-placed CLECKHEATON host cellar dwellers Beverley in National League Three North. Fifth-placed WIBSEY are at fourth-placed Hallamshire in Yorkshire Division Five.
Cleckheaton (home to Beverley): R Hayden; B Marsden, J Wilson, D Vento, M Woodhead; Michael Piper, J Bickerdike; P Turner, J Crowther, N Jackson, R Afoa Peterson, R Brown, O Akroyd, R Piper, J Seddon. Replacements: T Austin, C Dawson, C Mason.
Bradford Salem (at Goole): R Smith; C Malarkey, S Savage, C Wood, C Walker; A Robinson, J Mitchell; R McKessar, A Veitch, S Davies, J Cunliffe, R Green, D Snowden, J Booth, J Fawcett. Replacements from: J Bradbury, J Ashworth, A Collins, A Wood.
Keighley (home to Barnsley) from: W Armitage, Jack Atkinson, E Barker, L Carter, A Ebbrell, L Everett, S Everett, M Hagyard, J Hannah, J Hill, A Horsfall, D Iliff, T Lowther, S Minikin, D McGee, D Smith, C Spencer, L Sugden, O Sugden, R Wilkinson.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here