Match Preview

Horden and Peterlee Preview

Hartlepool Rovers make the short journey up the Coast Road on Saturday to face Horden and Peterlee (kick off 2.15pm).

The derby clash will give the Whites every chance to show that last week’s 28-20 home win over South Shields Westoe saw them turn the corner form-wise as the Durham Northumberland One programme reaches the halfway stage.

Rovers had been showing promising signs match by match but things picked up in their 41-34 defeat at Novocastrians and there was a mega-leap last time out.

Conditions and the fact that Saturday’s clash has bragging rights at stake means that, as was the case with the Westoe game, it is likely to be a forwards-orientated encounter.

The Friaragemen’s pack was in tremendous form last week against an away eight that had decided to take them on for the whole 80 minutes. The backs were there to lend their support and mop up anything that the forwards missed before taking their turn in attack.

Rovers showed great composure in building what became a match-winning lead and then in closing the game out.

There is only one change to last week’s winning side with Darren Smith replacing the unavailable Joe Little.

Rovers: Sainty, Rochester, S Barnfield, Armstrong, Maguire, Fawcett, Pelser, N Stead, T Stead, Lloyd, Rayner, D Smith, Dring, Jeffery, Whitehead (c). Subs: S Smith, Kirton, O’Callaghan