The Firsts take on Novos and the Stags are also at home to Hartlepool (Old Boys) seconds in the CaNDY league.

The first team  squad changed complexion during the summer with several players off to new pastures - Liam Checksfield (Tynedale), Jordan Baggs and Liam Austwicke (Rovers), Alex Key (Horden) and Luke Mallinson (West Leeds).

Work commitments are also featuring with Jake Linighan missing every few weeks, Andy Turner doing his bodybuilding competitions and Matt Siddle starting a new vocation in Essex.

Long term injury knee injury victims Sam Miller, Michael Hogan and Liam Bailey are all still out and short term we haven't had much luck either. Adam Coates is  out with facial injury and at Beverley we lost Jay Corbett (concussion) and 18 year old Josh Riley (pictured) who was making his senior debut.

The second row banged heads with Corbett as they tackled the same player needing 22 stitches in his head wound. Otherwise he might have been in the first team squad this week with Linighan unavailable.

There were several more knocks picked up in the eight tries to six defeat at Beverley, which provided a decent work out and the return to action of Stu Waites. The head coach has worked hard at his rehab after a shoulder operation coming  through the Beverley test with flying colours and will be at stand off against Novos.

The Geordies arrive having achieved a comfortable mid-table position last season. They've had the benefit of two competitive cup games - losing by just one point at Gosforth in the Ringtons Cup and by 58-7 at Morpeth in the Northumberland Senior Cup.

West: Zac Southern, Will Hilditch, Gav Painter, Peter Youll, Adam Peacock, Stu Waites, Ryan Painter (capt), Johnny Hunter, Andrew Rollins, Adam Brown, John Bunter, Joe Rafferty, Alex Barker, Isaac Robinson, Scott Butcher.

Changes: Craig Hadwen, Matt Siddle, Connor McLurg.