At the other end of the table defeats in our last two games would mean we would still finish, thankfully, just outside the relegation play-off places.

Aspatria are already doomed to that fate and will have to travel to either Guisborough or City needing the win to stay up.  The Priorymen did themselves a power of good last week in beating second placed Consett, while City took the five points against West and, as a result, are three points ahead of this week’s visitors.

This week City  (on 48 points) travel to Wigton who have yet to win a game so Guis (on 45 points) need to win at Brinkburn to set up a winner takes all final game when they host City on the last day.

No such drama for West, apart from a strong desire to finish at least in the  top half of the table after ending last season in a creditable fourth place.

This season’s ambitions have been hampered by the unavailability of key players – specially second rows. Despite that we are currently the third highest points scorers with 592 points, with goalkicker Jobe Roxby getting more than 200 of them,   but that is negated by the fact we have conceded 584 points which is the third worst with only bottom two Aspatria and Wigton conceding more.  The 17 bonus points we have accrued keeping the season respectable.

Skipper Chris Atkins is away this week so Alex Barker continues at No 8 in what he says will be his last home first team game. Fatherhood beckons this summer and at the age of 36 Alex reckons he has done his bit - there's no doubt about that.

Peter Youll ended the City game in the back row and he will start there this week alongside Barker and Isaac Robinson who returns from injury. That allows Aidan Jackson-Smith - one of the stand-out players this season - to return to the front row.

The major success of the season has been the performance of the Stags and Bucks in their respective CaNDY leagues and both are in action this week – the second team travelling to Middlesbrough Wasps and the Bucks hosting Peterlee and Horden.