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Coaches aiming for Christmas cheer

Mike Floyd
17/12/2004

Rugby Union

ROCHDALE field a strong side at Bamford on Saturday afternoon to face Northwich.

The teams have met twice this season in Cheshire, with Rochdale claiming the points on both occasions.

Ben Mortimer returns on the bench alongside Xavier McKay and Peter Johnstone. Johnstone, who has been injured, played for 40 minutes last week and will be looking to get into the action as soon as possible.

The second team travel to Birkenhead Park.

And, if the forwards win enough possession, they have the backs in Ben Dixon, Chris Kane and Andy Tilley to do the business.

The third team are in the pool, while the Vets have a derby against Littleborough Stags.

FIRST XV (v Northwich, home, meet club at 1pm): N Sunderland, G Barlow, H McDonald, T Sunderland, J Rhodes, L Riddle, R Hartley, A Badenhorst, D James, G Wellings, M Thomas, A Rowlinson, C Johnson, A Howarth, T Valentyn, P Johnstone, B Mortimer, X McKay.

SECOND XV (v Birkenhead Park, away, meet club at 12pm): P Swindon, A O'Brien, S Worrall, D Priestley, M Mason, N DuToit, M Duffin, P Collins, B Dixon, J Finnigan, C Kane, J Mair, A Tilley, C Gillighan, J Harnett, T Owens, P Aitkin, Tom Sunderland, T Callaghan.

THIRD XV (pool game at home, meet club 1.30pm): B Fudge, J Finn, A Redmond, S McGuire, R Turnbull, K Parry, S Tomlinson, J Winterbottom, R Japtha, R Baker, P Wild, J Gillighan, A Cooper, J Barton, P Seymour, M Collins, D Bowers, C Jones, O Horne, I Hamilton, A Worrall, B Cullen, L Lightfoot, A Spiteri, A Barlow.

VETS (v Littleborough, away, meet club 1pm): Team as carded.

• LITTLEBOROUGH entertain bottom club Ashton-under-Lyne at Rakewood on Saturday .

But Lee Durrant's team won't be taking their opponents lightly after they were pushed all the way by the visitors in the reverse fixture this season.

Durrant has warned against complacency and expects his players to be totally focused for the full 80 minutes.

Powerhouse forward Mark Forden is unavailable, while Chris Kolbeck and Dominic Fraternalli are injury doubts. Craig Diggle is close to fitness and could return to action.

FIRST XV (v Ashton, home, meet in training kit at 12.30pm. Kick-off 2.15pm): J Maxey, L Durrant, D Greenwood, C Diggle, N Mill, M Murgatroyd, K Naulumatua, S Kolinisau, C Collins, O Lord, J Land, B Irving, S Bairstow, R Blackburn, D Fraternalli, J Stansfield, G Shepherd, R Mitchell, J Bex.

SECOND XV (v Oldham, away, meet 1pm, kick-off 2.30pm): S Codling, R Hyman, C Duffy, M Keiley, N King, P Doran, A Bairstow, R Bradley, S Strickland, J Bebbington, M Goggins, A Varley, M Elvidge, J Galvin, R Hopley, G Hutchins, A Coles.

THIRD XV (v Aspull, away, meet 1pm, kick-off 2.15pm): C Sturridge, I Murgatroyd, G Stansfield, D Juba, B Park, B Reader, M Payne, B Kershaw, S Blackburn, M Delaney, G Harris, R Heap, R Lyndsey, B O'Neill, S Kershaw, J Crosby, P Reynolds, P Cockson, E Klieve.