With leaders Northern set to visit Brinkburn next week, and another tricky derby at Horden and Peterlee, January could be a make or break month club as we look to overhaul both Northern and Durham City to gain promotion back to North One East.
However, the first two games against Rovers have shown that this week’s encounter will be close. Back in September we won the first league game 27-12 and shaded a dour Boxing Day game 23-15.
We will be boosted by the return of a trio of leading players in the shape of front rows Andrew Rollins and Adam Coates together with Gav Painter - the talented centre having recovered from a nasty knock in win over South Shields Westoe back in mid-December.
With Jay Corbett already ruled out Turner's injury sees Adam Brown move to the back row with Danny Cookland starting in the front row against his old club. In the second row Jaker Linighan has work commitments so Chris Atkins will partner John Bunter.
Tim Blades starts on the bnech as front row cover after his year sunning himself in Australia.
Ideally, we would not have had the league game so close to Boxing Day, but both clubs have to get on with it, and no doubt the supporters will think it’s a good way to bring the holiday to an end – provided their team wins.
With versatile back Luke Mallinson set to return to the club from Leeds, and front row forward Michael Hogan fit again after knee surgery 15 months ago, we had hoped to go into 2019 with selection problems of the right kind.
West : Zac Southern, Will Hilditch, Gavin Painter, Peter Youll, Max Tennant, Stu Waites, Ryan Painter (captain), Adam Coates, Andrew Rollins, Danny Cookland, John Bunter, Chruis Atkins, Alex Barker, Isaac Robinson, Adam Brown.
Changes: Joe Rafferty, Tim Blades, Adam Peacock.