The numbers give the coaches the rare luxury of being able to rest and rotate players. Max Tennant, Jacob Wood and Will Corbett all returning to first team action against Keswick, with Ben Reed marking his excellent performances for the Stags with his second game of the season at full back.

The Firsts go into the game level on points with Middlesbrough,  but in second place by virtue of the fact that Boro have a points difference of 126 compared to West's 125.

The Cumbrians will arrive in eighth place having won two and lost three. Last week they shaded Consett 18-17 in a dramatic home win where the visitors had a late penalty, which might have clinched the points. However, the touch judges couldn't agree whether the kick was true and the ref gave the home side the benefit of the doubt.

Last season Keswick proved to be a bogey side for West - at least on their own patch. Back in April a big crowd helped them to a 21-12 win which guaranteed their survival in Regional 2 North,  and then  four weeks later they beat West 28-24 in the Papa Johns semi-final. West outscored the hosts by four tries to one -  it was the boot of fly-half Kieran Mewse and his six penalty kicks which won the game. Mewse is capable of converting from his own half and, by all accounts, did so against Consett last week.

However, the home game on the first day of last season saw West triumph 36-3. Home supporters will be hoping for more of the same as we look to stay in contention in a league where a top  four, involving West, Northern, Boro and Morpeth,  looks to be taking shape. The latter hosting West in another big game next week. With longer term injured players such as Chris Atkins and Lewis Scott hopefully back in contention,  selection will probably become even more of a happy problem.

The Stags are off to Bishiop Auckland - the team below them in CaNDY Division Two South. Owen Nugent will be missing from their line-up as he stays with the first team squad after his try scoring return to league action last week,  but they will be bolstered by Connor McLurg starting at No. 8. He scored the last of the six tries at Asaptria last week by ripping the ball off a defender on the line.

The Stags lie third in the league,  having played one game less than Stockton and Darlington after Wensleydale surprisingly cried off the first game of the season. Those five points may yet be claimed by the Stags, or the rearranged game may be played, and that could put them top of the league, albet at this early stage.