There's a bit of muscle back for the Firsts in the shape of Chris Atkins and Jay Corbett although the versatile Atkins will start in the centre alongside Matt Siddle.

Jay Corbett will be in a competitive looking back row alongside Connor  McLurg and Isaac Robinson. Will Corbett is also fit again and will be on the bench together with Jack Angus and Liam Liston.

The team will be looking to start from where it finished last week. The comeback from 29-10 down against Middesbrough showed what can be achieved, and if that late finish had been matched in the home games against Morpeth and Stockton, we wouldn't be looking over our shoulders at the relegation places.

The two heroes from that last minute match-saving try and conversion both start this week. Lewis Scott is now the runaway leading try scorer with seven tries Max Tennant ( three tries) hoping to catch him up at some stage, but not this week as the left winger is in Manchester - Jordan Painter comes in for him.  Zac Southern slotted the touchline conversion last week to end the game and he's back from a well-earned mini-break in Madeira to start at full-back.

The hosts come into the game having ended their five game unbeaten run with a 30-23 defeat at Consett last week. As West know Consett are no mugs and are a very committed and hard working side who already have league leaders Percy Park's scalp.

The clubs last met in the 2021-22 season with both winning their home games - the encounter at Bower Park notable for Adam Coates' broken arm which ruined his family's holiday weekend in a nearby cottage.

Some interesting faces in the Stags this week. Former first team skipper Anth Carr returns to action after a long lay-off as does second row Ben Lloyd. And there's a wlecome start at fly-half for the talented Paul Moss.