Fylde travel to Darlington Mowden Park on Saturday (ko 15.00) in their continuing pursuit of National Three (North) leading clubs Nuneaton, Caldy & Macclesfield. They will be looking to build on their spirited, tense victory against Caldy at the Woodlands on Saturday. Mowden Park, despite their lowly position in the division, will be tough opponents at their Yiewsley Drive ground. Whilst they languish in the penultimate spot in the division, they still have a statistical chance of escaping relegation. But they will need to beat Fylde if they are to give themselves realistic hope.

The Lancastrians will not need to be reminded that in the five previous seasons of games between the two clubs they have yet to notch up a single win at Yiewsley Drive. In fact, Fylde have rarely pressed DMP on their own ground. A 15-20 loss in 2003/4 was the closest. Up until last season, on the other hand, Fylde had won all their home games against DMP at the Woodlands. This sequence was broken last January when Mowden won what turned out to be a critical 34-27 victory in an exciting game on the Ansdell ground which in the end made the difference between earning a promotion play-off place for a chance to go up to National Two. Fylde finished in 3rd place, DMP in 2nd place yet heartbreakingly lost by a single point at Cinderford in the play-off.  

This season, whilst Fylde have once again been pressing in the top four in the division, DMP have struggled right through the campaign and have only won two games. Interestingly, one of these was a fine 18-13 home victory over Caldy early in the campaign. Although they have lost 14 league games, a number of these have been by narrow margins. For instance, they have lost twice to Leicester Lions by a single point each time. The only real thumping they've received was their 15-61 defeat at the Woodlands in mid-November.

DMP has an interesting history. First it was Darlington Grammar School Old Boys in 1950. Then, in 1972, it became Mowden Park before its final more recent change using the town's prefix to Darlington Mowden Park. No one doubts their ambition, one of a growing number of meritocrats who have advanced up the RFU league structure to challenge more famous clubs like Fylde, and have been in N3N since 2001. Millionaire Chairman John Parkinson, who had been a leading figure in Mowden's rise through the leagues, resigned in December 2007 and is now a non-executive director of Newcastle Falcons. Another change over the last five years is the drying up of the player supply line from the Falcons to DMP. A number of fine young players spent periods at Yiewsley Drive in a useful partnership for both clubs. The higher league Tynedale and Blaydon appear to have taken over that role more recently. After eight years of negotiation with landowners, developers and planners, Park is still hopeful over a long awaited relocation to a new ground at West Park.

For a heady period, the town of Darlington had two national league clubs, DMP and Darlington RUFC, before the latter was relegated last season. They have had continuing difficulties and look likely to drop another level at the end of this season.

Following the defeat at Cinderford last April, the squad broke up. Their Director of Rugby Andy Howells, moved on following a two year stint along with forwards coach Shaun Cassidy. New Head Coach is former Barbarians & Harrogate lock Peter Taylor. Since ending his playing career with Harrogate in 2005 Taylor has had a stint as senior coach at Bedford Athletic and has been the RAF forwards coach.

Pretty much the entire 1st choice squad left the Club so it's hardly surprising that they have struggled to date with many changes of personnel. They really have rung the changes, calling on 49 players for league action to date compared with Fylde's 36.

New players include wingers Adam Mackenzie (Scotland U'20s), Gavin Clegg (Darlington) & Matt Goforth (Sunderland), & scrum-half John Newton (ex-Wharfedale, Harrogate & Manchester). Scrum-half or winger Martin Lithgo has returned after spending last season on loan at Westoe. Other newcomers include Kiwi hooker Howie Murray (Hartlepool), fullback Gavin Painter (West Hartlepool) & Northumbria University flanker or lock Kieran Dannatt (ex-Hull Ionians). Their highest profile mid-season signing is winger Anthony Elliott, formerly Newcastle & Bristol Premiership star. 

Other stars of DMP's backline include the highly experienced fly-half Jon Benson (ex Otley, Doncaster & Rotherham) and established centres Martin Featherstone (ex-Harrogate) & Ben Snook (formerly with Darlington). Benson is the principal goal kicker but shares this job with Snook.

Amongst the forwards, established props Danny Brown (club captain) and Dan Miller are redoubtable along with experienced lock Luke Monument.

The DMP line-up is very similar to that which lost so narrowly to Leicester Lions last time out.

15 Martin Lithgo; 14 ? Massarella, 13 Dean Kelbrick, 12 Ian Hodgson, 11 Matt Goforth; 10 Jon Benson, 9 John Newton; 1 Danny Brown, 2 Howard Murray, 3 Dan Miller, 4 Matthew Wood, 5 Luke Monument, 6 Michael Ellery, 7 Daniel Kennedy, 8 Alan Daly.

Replacements: Thomas Young, Ralph Appleby, Andrew Hartson, Andrew Wilson, Martin Featherstone

Fylde make a couple of changes from the side that beat Caldy last Saturday. Fly-half Steve Nutt who injured his ribs is replaced by Neil Hunter and flanker Dan Palmer takes over from Mark Stephenson (hamstring). Nutt & Stephenson join other long term injury casualties Sam Beaumont and Nick King. Utility back Richard Kenyon is also ruled out with a back injury. Ben Hall returns to the 1st team league squad for the first time in a number of years as he's named amongst the replacements. He made his debut as an 18 year old as far back as the 2002/3 season.  

15 Martin Wallwork; 14 Nick Royle, 13 David Wiseman, 12 Tom Albinson, 11 Oli Brennand; 10 Neil Hunter, 9 Craig Aikman; 1 Adam Lewis, 2 Alan Holmes/Mark Darlington, 3 Kieran Brookes, 4 Alistair Atkinson, 5 Roger Banks(c), 6 Dan Palmer, 7 Dave Wilks, 8 Dan Bowman.

Replacements: 16 Andrew Irving, 17 Mark Darlington/Alan Holmes, 18 Grant Ferguson, 19 Mike Waywell, 20 Ben Hall.