FYLDE face their toughest league challenge to date on Saturday in their attempt to win a fifth successive National Three (North) match.

The fifth and sixth placed clubs in the division clash at the famous Webb Ellis Road ground of Rugby Lions.

Like Fylde, Rugby is a famous old club that has struggled to come to terms with professional rugby. Like Fylde, they have yo-yoed up and down the league structure and have suffered financially in pursuit of higher league status.

And, like Fylde, they are now playing at their lowest RFU level since the foundation of the leagues.

Rugby recruited heavily in the summer following two successive relegations and the mass departure of most of last season's playing squad.

They started this season with aplomb, scoring heavily in the process, but have come off the rails somewhat in recent weeks with only one win and a draw (though a very creditable one at Tynedale) in their last six league fixtures. Fylde will be checking on injuries to winger Greg Anderton (neck), scrum-half Paul Newton (knee) and hooker Alex Moffatt (calf).

NCA October award winners Mike Scott ('Kicker of the Month') and Paul Reeves ('Player of the Month') will be looking to continue their rich vein of form. Elsewhere in National Three (North), apart from Halifax who entertain neighbours Cleckheaton in a Yorkshire derby, the other leading clubs are all on their travels this weekend.

Bedford Athletic, with a reinforced squad, will be desperate to avoid being detached at the bottom of the table and will pose a serious threat to second placed Macclesfield.

Next to bottom Dudley Kingswinford who have put together a couple of successive wins will be equally keen to upset the form books against third placed Tynedale. And another form team, Darlington Mowden Park, will hope to beat struggling Blaydon.