Fylde will relish the challenge when promotion chasing Blaydon visit the Woodlands for a very important National Three (North) league game on Saturday (ko 14.15).

Fylde are on a roll with four wins in their last five matches.

They've beaten fellow contenders Preston Grasshoppers and Bradford & Bingley in recent weeks and will look to damage Blaydon's hopes in a similar fashion.

The Tynesiders are currently 3rd in National Three (North) with twelve league wins and only four defeats so far.

They are a tough and resolute side with the ability to grind out wins when required, This is the meeting of what is probably the two biggest and best packs in the division.

Speaking on the Fylde website, Club Secretary Jim Huxley confirmed the team are looking at this game as one of the biggest of their season.

He said:"We know that Fylde are playing well. We're going well too. We know that Saturday could be a crucial game if we want to continue to pressure the leading two clubs."

Blaydon almost completely rebuilt their squad and coaching set-up in the summer, determined not to face the same relegation battle which they experienced at the end of last season, and have recruited a very strong squad.

Steve Gustard, the former Gosforth coach, is back at Crow Trees and working alongside Brian Juliffe and Nick Gandy, who also returned in the summer as Director of Rugby. New players include highly influential Samoan international & Ponsonby openside flanker Pat Segi and English Counties, ex-Otley & Northumberland flanker Ed Thorpe.

Fylde will continue to monitor their variously injured props. Ted Scott may have recovered from a rib injury to come back into selection contention and a week's rest will have helped Matt Filipo. Neil Hilton will start training soon but Richard Hanson's troublesome groin may require surgery. Also in the front row Alan Holmes and Craig McIntyre will compete for the hooker's spot.

Amongst the back line, they'll hope that Richard Kenyon's hand injury is sufficiently improved to allow him to come in at fullback as Stuart Blackburn's damaged hamstring will almost certainly rule him out.