Twickenham still the dream for cup chasers

Feb 23 2008 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

CALDY face a trip to Bradford and Bingley in National Three North League today as Birkenhead Park and Chester seek progress into the semi-finals of the EDF Energy Intermediate Cup.

It finished 15-15 when the Yorkshire side visited Paton Field earlier in the season. Simon Mason is likely to return at full-back and Ian Murray on the wing for Caldy, but skipper Sean Woof remains a doubt while second-row men Richard Bradshaw and Richard Broer may need further time to recover from injury.

The injury picture has brightened for Birkenhead Park, who face a tough task at in-form London Two outfit Staines, but key men are still missing including skipper Dave Ibbotson.

Peter Hart, at full-back, and Jon Shudall in the back-row make a surprise return to senior action. Christian Jones and Phil Reynolds return to the front-row. Tony Handley and Steve Lowry resume at half-back and Gavin Scott is retained at centre with Dave Hall going to the wing.

Chester have London One side Basingstoke as visitors to Hare Lane and will fancy their chance of taking another step to a Twickenham final. They have been going great guns in North Two West and a return to North One still remains their top priority.

Skipper Sean Green and James Whitelock-Wainwright are both out for the rest of the season with broken bones. Tom Weightman takes the full-back role today and Mike Hughes, Steve Roberts and Nathan Sandland-Jones make up the front-row.

Recent signing James Farrell and Tom Foden continue at half-back.

The majority of local clubs are without fixtures.

Fixtures (2.15pm)

National Two: Blackheath v Waterloo (3).

National Three North: Bradford & Bingley v Caldy; West Park v Fylde.

South Lancashire/Cheshire One: Burnage v Widnes.

Intermediate Cup: Staines v Birkenhead Park (2); Chester v Basingstoke.

Friendly: Wirral v Cleopatra Under 21.