BRADFORD Salem could take a massive leap towards returning to SSE Yorkshire Division One on Saturday.
The Yorkshire Division Two leaders are at home to nearest rivals West Park Leeds, and if in-form Keighley can defeat third-placed West Leeds at Rose Cottage, it is possible that champagne corks could be popping for the Shay Laners by tea-time.
Salem are nine points ahead of West Park Leeds and 20 in front of West Leeds but the hosts’ first-team manager Neil Klenk warned: “You don’t count your chickens.
“However, it would be massive for us if we beat West Park Leeds and Keighley do us a favour and defeat West Leeds.”
The Heaton club have named 18 but have yet to decide who will start.
Dan Scarbrough suffered an abductor injury playing for England Legends in Ireland, but scrum half Jack Mitchell is available again.
Yorkshire Division Three leaders Old Grovians could also be promoted this weekend.
Their equation is simpler – victory at home to fifth-placed Old Otliensians, plus a bonus point for four tries, would see them rise.
“We are within touching distance but we are not getting carried away” said their director of rugby Martin Whitcombe.
“We have one or two injuries to check up on and, as usual at this time of year, we have a couple down with coughs and colds.”
Baildon take on Thornensians at home with the Brian Hawkins Memorial Trophy at stake after a 17-17 draw earlier in the season.
Bradford & Bingley are thinking purely about survival in North One East, and victory at rank bottom Horden would both be a massive plus – and indeed a necessity as some of their rivals also have to face the north-easterners.
Bees player-coach Stuart Dixon said: “Horden have beaten West Hartlepool and narrowly lost at West Hartlepool and Sheffield.
“We can’t start throwing the ball about looking for tries. We must go through our processes and try and win the game and then start thinking about a bonus point.”
Club physio Ben Grange comes in for the unavailable Richard Hughes in the second row.
Cleckheaton (home to Sheffield Tigers): R Hayden; L Queeley, J Wilson, D Vento, M Woodhead; Michael Piper, J Bickerdike; P Turner, B Thrower, N Jackson, A Dawson, R Afoa Peterson, O Akroyd, R Piper, J Seddon. Replacements: R Brown, T Austin, C Mason.
Bradford Salem (home to West Park Leeds) from: D Belcher, J Booth, J Bradbury, C Clough, J Cunliffe, S Davies, J Fawcett, A Hanlon, C Malarkey, R McKessar, J Morrell, A Robinson, S Savage, D Scarbrough, R Smith, D Snowden, A Veitch, C Wood.
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