ARMCHAIR pundits like nothing better before the start of the season than guessing who will go up and down.

And there was no doubt where all of them expected Cleckheaton to finish in National League Three North – in the bottom three.

All of those are relegation places, and Cleckheaton’s rugby chairman Neil Gillan admitted: “Those predictions will have been based on our form before Christmas last season.

However, the Moorenders won eight of their last 12 matches to finish two places and seven points above the demotion mark, and they should have started this season with a win, losing 17-10 at home to Lymm.

“They finished third last season and we should have beaten them, or at least got a draw instead of a losing bonus point,” said Gillan.

“We just didn’t turn pressure into points but we have a real desire to prove those pundits wrong, and we have players to come back in such as Ross Hayden (broken hand) and Lee Queeley and Jack Bickerdike, who both could be back next week.”

Danny Vento is missing for tomorrow’s visit to Stockport, Mikey Hayward coming onto the bench.

Two ‘coupon-busting’ home wins last weekend came from Old Grovians, who beat Leodiensian 16-6 in Yorkshire Division Two, and Baildon, who defeated Goole 13-5 in Yorkshire Division Three.

Old Grovians’ secretary Bob Griffin, whose son Anthony is relishing the open spaces from full back, said: “We are playing with an enthusiasm that was missing last season”, while Baildon seem to have got their appetite for the fight back under coach Andy Pollard, who took over last spring.

On Saturday, Old Grovians make their fkrst trip to West Park Leeds. 

Cleckheaton (at Stockport): J Wilson; K Downs, M Woodhead, Matt Piper, J Hall; R Evans, N Chivers; P Turner, M Chivers, A Piper, L Pearson, R Piercy, J Seddon, R Piper, T Austin. Replacements: M Hayward, B Marsden, N Jackson.

Old Grovians (at West Park Leeds): A Griffin; P Burns, T Harris, H Garforth, J Gilbert; H Dunhill, B Brown; S Pickering, M Worrall, J Garforth, C Cockshott, E Roberts, J Deu, L Brook, J Sowden.

Baildon (at Leeds Medics & Dentists): M Robinson; L Strauss, H Strauss, H Lister, N King; JJ O’Connell, R Hill; A Hewitt, M Dixon,J Robinson,J Fox, T Peel, R Kershaw, A Magee, D Pollard. Replacements: D Tabiner, G Price, R Holland, W Tomlinson, S Simons.