After last week's 27-7league defeat to Manchester, which sees Wharfedale plunged into a relegation battle, the club can turn their attention to an exciting EDF National Trophy tie against high-flying Exeter on Saturday.

Exeter Chiefs are in second place in National League One and are the highest-ranking club that the Greens will have ever played.

Wharfedale coach Peter Hartley is expecting a reasonably big crowd to turn out at The Avenue on the day for the 2.30pm kick-off.

There should be no shortage of motivation for the struggling Greens.

Hartley said: "You want commitment and team effort, which are the first things you expect in these situations. Playing experienced professionals will give the players something to learn from."

Hartley and his Greens will not approach the game any differently despite Exeter's lofty position in the league system.

"We don't know about the opposition so we'll just concentrate on ourselves, " he said.

He said the main reason for his side's struggles this season is their failure to cross the try line on a regular basis.

"We're in one of the bottom three relegation places which creates a pressure you don't want. The fact we're not winning creates its own prob-lems."

Hartley however remained upbeat, saying: "It's amazing what a win will do. It starts to ease the pressure."

Wharfedale make one important change to their team for the visit of Exeter. Captain Andy Baggett is taking a well-earned rest on the bench, where he will nurse a groin injury he picked in the Foresters' friendly against North Ribblesdale on Boxing Day.

Hartley said: "Andy doesn't miss many games and this will give him a chance to have a bit of a rest."

Andy Hodgson takes his place in the starting line-up, as Hartley added: "This gives Andy Hodgson an opportunity to be more than a substitute. He needs a game and Andy Baggett needs a rest."

Back row forward Rob Baldwin assumes the captain's role for the first time. Baldwin is an experienced first teamer, who Hartley said has a bright future at the club. He is also the Greens' vice-captain.

There is a welcome return to the extended bench for Neil Baggett, who scored 35 points last week in the Foresters' win at Huddersfield.

While promotion to the Premiership may be beyond second placed Exeter this season (leaders Northampton have yet to lose a game), this ambi-tious club, with a brand new stadium, will surely be in the mix next season.

In the meantime they will want to go one better in the cup than they did last season, when they lost in the final by three points to Penzance and Newlyn.

Wharfedale have selected: Adam Whaites; Dan Hart, Chris Malherbe, Andy Hodgson, Simon Horsfall; Luke Gray, James Doherty; Tom Horner, Gavin Hindle, Chris Steel, David Lister, Anthony Capstick, David Muckalt, Alastair Allen, Rob Baldwin (C).

Repl: Adam Mason, Dave Charnley, Dave Clements, Oliver Renton, Andrew Baggett, Neil Baggett, Joel Gill.

p SKIPTON have a blank week away from league fixtures and so play their third round tie in the Yorkshire Shield competition away to Horsforth-based Yarnbury.

The tie is interesting because both clubs are in Yorkshire Division 2 and Yarnbury are one of the teams still able to challenge Skipton for a promotion place. Accordingly, although tomorrow's Shield match will not affect the league positions, the winner will obviously gain confidence for the forthcoming league match in February.

The Reds have not yet announced the team because they are assessing the squad and may choose to rest some players ahead of a run of league games. However a strong team will be picked for the Shield game and Gavin Petterd, Rick Willsher and Sam Boatwright are welcome faces back in the squad.

NORTH RIBBLESDALE'S squad for Saturday's Yorkshire Shield first round game at home to Scarborough shows several changes to last week with Jonathan Richards, John Thwaite and Ryan Kirkbride all returning to the starting line up.

The selected team is: Chapman; Bolland, Topham, Richards, Bartlett; Davidson, Hughes; Newhouse, Ogden, Thwaite, Garth, Dugdale, Carr, Dakin, Kirkbride. Repl. Maudsley, Stubbs, Stacey, Spensley.