YORK RI will try to make sure eight wins become nine when they look to stretch their lead in Yorkshire Three with victory over Wath-on-Dearne tomorrow.

Fresh from a two-week break, there are few injury worries for the Railwaymen, who will go in search of that ninth successive victory against a side who started the season well but have trailed off in recent weeks.

Only Mark Oliver, who did not play in RI's comfortable win over Castleford last time out, remains a doubt after picking up a knee injury.

Club spokesman Nigel Lowery said the first XV had trained well and were confident of picking up two points.

RI lead Yorkshire Three by a single point from Roundhegians and Heath and must continue to keep the pressure on.

"We have all got to play each other yet, but if we can keep winning games then we are going to be hard to catch," Lowery said.

"We beat them 14-12 earlier in the season with a last-minute drop goal, but we have become a stronger side since then."

York, following a morale boosting performance in defeat to Bridlington last time out, host Wheatley Hills at Clifton Park in Yorkshire One.

Injuries and the loss of key players continue to bite, but the restructured York side will be hoping tomorrow will bring a new beginning.

With coach Colin Clark replaced by the trio of Mick Negri, Alan Robertshaw and Shaun Bass, there are still a few familiar faces leading the charge.

Skipper Andy Kay will look to regulars Rob Kama, Stu Davies and Cory Wallace to hit the heights while fly-half Mike Ford, replaced at the start of the campaign by the now departed Carl Paterson, gets another chance to make the number ten jersey his own.

Full-back Tom Copeland is likely to assume the kicking duties, while Sam Arkle and Rob Taylor will form a useful centre partnership.

A tough trip to the Dales awaits Pocklington, who take on one of their closest Yorkshire Two rivals in North Ribblesdale.

The Percy Roaders have three players out due to work commitments and two more involved with Yorkshire. But regular back-row Steve Wilcox hopes to be back after missing last week with a grumbling appendix.

Ribblesdale are two points behind fourth-placed Pocklington, but have two games in hand. When the two sides met at Percy Road earlier in the season, Pock edged a hard-earned 12-8 victory.

Malton and Norton will keep faith with the bulk of the team that beat North Shields two weeks ago as they host Acklam seeking the points to lift them into the top two in Durham and Northumberland One.

Updated: 11:00 Friday, February 10, 2006