WIBSEY are confident that their most recent promotion from Yorkshire Division Four Premier will stick.

The Villagers have twice gone up in the recent past only to find out that, due to circumstances beyond their control, their rises have in essence been taken away from them.

They won Yorkshire Division Six in 2003-04, only for the section to be disbanded the following season, leaving Wibsey playing many of the same teams in Yorkshire Division Five North West.

Then two seasons ago, the same thing happened, except this time after they won Yorkshire Division Five, which was then shelved.

Instead of playing in Yorkshire Division Four in 2017-18, Wibsey found themselves plying their trade in Yorkshire Division Four North West, which again meant that their promotion had been discounted.

“I don’t remember what it was like after the 2003-04 season, but two seasons ago, even though we got a plaque for winning the division, which went in our clubhouse, and we went to the end-of-season league bash, we felt a bit gutted,” said Wibsey’s chairman Steve Brooke.

“We said to teams like Knaresborough ‘See you whenever’, but we ended up playing them against the following season.

“Due to the small number of teams in that division, we had been promoted by January and were left with the Keith Dyas Cup to fill the season out, but that wasn’t properly organised.

“But this time in Yorkshire Division Four, we can look forward to a full season’s worth of fixtures in 2019-20, we can plan for sponsors for our home games and we know when we can fit in our cup ties. It just feels a lot better.”

Although Wibsey and Ossett have already been promoted, the destination of the title is still up for grabs between the two, although Wibsey are firm favourites, being 10 points ahead with three matches left.

Tomorrow they are at home to third-placed York RI, but are missing Mark Darragh, Jordan Payton, Nathan Marchant and Andy Robinson.

Player-coach Robinson is out due to a rib cartilage injury suffered in the 27-21 win at Ossett last weekend, so the talented Luke Helliwell steps in at fly half.

James Brown switches to the back row, allowing Danny Carr to play at hooker, and Alex Cerson and Dave Wilkinson are in the second row.

Meanwhile, Bradford Salem make a third attempt to play their Yorkshire Division One fixture at Middlesbrough.

Borough, who have lost their last four league matches, are eighth and Salem are ninth, with the match doubling up as a Yorkshire Shield quarter-final.

Wibsey (home to York RI): C Walker; B Mpofu, R Moore, S Smith, M Holdsworth; L Helliwell, K Carter; S Birkbeck, D Carr, J Bradbury, A Cerson, D Wilkinson, J Tordoff, J Brown, M Kite. Replacements: A Rose, S Taylor, J Worsnop, C McParland.