Last updated at 09:53, Friday, 19 February 2010

AFTER giving runaway league leaders Esher something of a scare on Saturday, Tynedale should have a less challenging time tomorrow.

For the visitors to Corbridge are relegation candidates Nuneaton, lying next to the bottom of National League Division One.

Nuneaton were amongst Tynedale’s most feared opponents not so long ago, but how times have changed.

Only Manchester have a worse record than the Midlanders, who have lost 11 games on the trot since October 24 – when they defeated Tynedale!

They average just one try per game on their travels, and concede an average of four, a statistic which will have Tynedale fans licking their lips.

Tynedale's impressive home form has seen them score 60 tries in nine home games and they have suffered only three defeats in their last 47 home league matches.

Victory over Tynedale on October 24 – one of only three all season – was unexpected, as Tynedale threw away a 20-0 first half lead to go down 21-20.

Tynedale will be eager to avenge that reversal, and while they are certainly not taking the game lightly, they are unworried by the fact that always influential back row forward Jamie Murray is unavailable.

Returning to the starting line-up will be free scoring skipper Joe Graham, who was surprisingly left on the bench for the start of the Esher match, although he did come on later on.

He scored both Tynedale’s tries in the October defeat.

Tomorrow’s game kicks off at 2.30pm.

First published at 09:46, Friday, 19 February 2010
Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk