Match Preview

Novos will look to regroup this week after a first half hammering at Consett last Saturday. A fantastic second half effort of 5-14 including two disallowed tries should be what the lads take forward into this match at home to Acklam.

The front row sees Josh Stacey get a welcome start in the front row alongside Daniel Shuttleworth and Pete Twentyman. Behind that we go with five back rowers as we look to compete over the park and provide support to our attacking game. Ross Radford will partner Josh McFarland in the second row with Tom Taylor getting a start in the six jersey. New to the club Taylor looks a good acquisition, a ball carrying back rower that will look to get us over the gain line. The pack is competed with George Bambrick and Sean Ramsay who were both unavailable last Saturday.

Out wide we see changes as we look at a different make up - Jack Hearn plays in the 9 shirt but he and Lewis Chater are pretty interchangeable at 9 and 10. We are looking for more balance in the midfield this week asking Connor Taylor to play 12 and get us going forward. Another player in his first season at the club - Connor has put in some huge hits on the wing and his skill set will suit the positional change. Outside Taylor will be the clubs try scoring machine - Sam Busby. The back line is complete with a new trio of Dylan Murphy, Tim Hart and Shaun Stewart.

This week our finishers are Tom Dias who comes back into the group after some extended time with the 2's. A very experienced first team squad member and will have a chance to impress and claim a jersey going forward. It is great to see Adam MacDonald back in the squad this week after a prolonged period out after sustaining a run of injuries just after he was finding his form. The back sub is speedster Ben Forbes who will hope to capitalise on broken play in the second half.

We must not take Acklam lightly - a side that is close to us in the table and have caused us problems in recent seasons. They will bring an experienced play maker at ten and have two great finishers on the wings.

This weeks sees us entertain an exchange ref from Scotland in Calum Lazenby. We hope he enjoys his afternoon at Sutherland Park and the balcony go easy on him.

We hope to see you down on Saturday - remember 1500 kick offs as our 3's travel to Tynedale and our 4's will play alongside the first team at Sutherland Park.

Up the Vos !