COMPETITION for places is delighting York RUFC head coach Sean Bass.

The Clifton Parkers chief, who has seen promotion drives rocked by injuries and unavailability in the past, has choices in a number of positions as his side look to continue their good start in Yorkshire One.

York picked up their fourth win in five games with a thrilling 24-17 derby victory over Selby and Bass now takes his men to Wath-upon-Dearne hoping strength in depth can pay dividends.

"It is a really sticky place to go and it's difficult to get a result there," he said of tomorrow's opponents. "It is difficult on the road. We have been doing okay. I still think we are playing within ourselves and last weekend's win against Selby was a big result.

"It was two teams, only ten miles apart, who came to play rugby. They raised their game and we had to raise ours. We have got to take some confidence out of that. We have picked a 20-man squad - competition is that tough.

"We have got a lot of players coming back from knocks and slight injuries and we had a couple of players who were in the stands last week who are now fully fit. We've got five quality, fully fit, back row forwards who can all play first team rugby.

"We haven't had that kind of competition for a long while. Our second team has been sensational this season. Not just in training, where they have been knocking lumps out of the firsts, but they have been winning the majority of their games home and away."

Selby are on a confidence building exercise against Bridlington at Sandhill Lane.

The Swans considered themselves unfortunate to taste defeat against York - picking up a solitary bonus point from the encounter - and head coach Richard Nicholson has stressed the importance of victory in home games.

He said of the York defeat: "We tried to move the ball about and a little bit of indiscipline let us down. In the opening part of the second half we gave them a couple of kicks at goal and that was very frustrating. All in all, it was a positive performance. York are a reasonable side and we competed on equal terms.

"Bridlington is always a tough fixture. They have had a reasonable start and have a good side with a couple of new signings. There are no easy games this year and it is really important to try and get a good win - particularly at home to get everyone's confidence back up."

Tom Bell picked up a knee injury against York and will be missing but Nicholson can call on big-hitter Martin Protheroe. "That makes a big difference with ball carrying," the Selby coach said.

Pocklington travel to Dinnington in North One East.

Dinnington, who have a nucleus of ex-Rotherham players, were promoted as last season's Yorkshire One runners up and have won all their games so far to top the table.

Pocklington hope that Dan Elliot is free to travel back from university, while former Hull City junior and Doncaster Rovers apprentice, Dan Maudslay, keeps his place on the wing after his summer switch from football to rugby.

Malton & Norton, fresh from a 36-20 victory over North Ribblesdale at The Gannock last time out, go to bottom-of-the-table Old Brodleians in Yorkshire One. York RI, who have picked up three wins from their first four games in Yorkshire Four, travel to Knaresborough.