AFTER a frustrating first seven games in National League One, Darlington Mowden Park hope everything comes together to inflict a shock on promotion chasing Fylde this afternoon.

Mowden, occupants of the fourth from bottom spot, are looking for a third win of the season at The Northern Echo Arena, where they have also lost two of their four games so far.

Just seven days after losing to Hartpury College on home soil, Mowden are keen to make amends and have made a number of changes in the hope of stunning second-placed Fylde.

“We are not far away from getting things right on the pitch,” said players’ manager Kevin Robinson. “We know we are up against a tough Fylde side and we are doing our best to come up with a way of surprising them.

“It’s going to be a tough test, we know that. What better way to give our season a lift than beating Fylde. They will have to be stopped against this season at some point so why not against us.”

Among Mowden’s changes are a swap at fly half, where Tom Hodgson and Gary Law are alternating. Talented Leeds University winger Joe Nellany will start on the wing, while Gary Nesbit returns at prop and Chris Campbell is set for first start of the season after injury.

It is also Ladies Day at the Arena, with pre-match hospitality stalls, boutiques and more which are open to both members and non members.

Blaydon, themselves in need of a lift up the league, host struggling Old Albanians, while fifth-placed Richmond take on Blackheath.

West Hartlepool have been inconsistent so far this season and know that they need to return from Driffield today with a favourable result if they are to close in on the upper echelons of North One East.

The story of West’s season has seen regular tinkering with the team and five absentees means changes are required again to try to inflict Driffield’s fifth straight defeat on them.

Jack Angus, Andrew Foreman, Luke Chapman and Jordan Baggs all slot in. Skipper Dan Boatman also returns to the mix after serving a one-match ban while Stu Waites is back from a should injury.

After coming from behind to beat Hartlepool Rovers last Saturday, this weekend third placed Stockton travel to Newcastle to take on Medicals. But Stockton, 11 points off leaders Morpeth in Durham North Division One, will be without fearsome flanker Martin Dixon.

Stockton do anticipate Joe Green will be over a dead leg and able to replace Dixon. Teenage scrum half Jonny Horner is also unavailable, experienced Rob Green has completed his three week rest period after concussion, so could return to the number nine shirt.

Like Rovers, Medicals were another side who managed to do the double over Stockton last season, so Stockton will hope for similar revenge.

Darlington, just three points behind Stockton in fourth, look to find an immediate response to losing comfortably at Gosforth last weekend by finding a return to winning ways at third-placed Consett.

Further down the rugby union league ladder and Seaton Carew can edge even closer to the top two in Durham Northumberland Division One if they can continue their good form at North Shields. Seaton sit six points adrift of second place Redcar, who face a tough challenge at Ponteland.