Match Preview

Hartlepool Rovers visit last season’s runners-up South Shields Westoe on Saturday (kick off 3pm).

Westoe finished second behind champions Northern but went on to lose their promotion play-off tie to West Leeds.

They will be one of this season’s favourites for a top two finish but went down 16-12 at Durham City last week.

The Whites would have been hoping to turn out an unchanged line up given last Saturday’s display and result but, instead, there are a number of changes.

Michael Railton, Gav Robinson, Jack Gunn and Daz Fawcett are all missing from the backs and Danny Cookland, Billy Lloyd and Kevin Maguire from the pack.

Jamie Montgomery and David Grand come into the side in the centre and Adam Smith is back from Great North Run duties to play on the wing. Steven Barnfield moves to stand off.

Tony Ross is at hooker and Ian Pinchen tighthead. Skipper Callum Whitehead moves from the bench to play number eight, Liam Wood is the unlucky player to make way and he will be on the bench with Danny Charters and Michael Barnfield for company.

Given the changes, it will be a tough ask for the Friaragemen to get a result but if they play in attack and defence as they did against Horden then they will give the hosts a game.

Rovers: Rochester, Harrison, Montgomery, Grand, A Smith, S Barnfield, Pelser, I Flounders, Ross, Pinchen, Langley, Hanley, Dring, Church, Whitehead (c). Subs: Charters, M Barnfield, Wood

Preview: Ian Kelly