WIBSEY have qualified for the Yorkshire Division Four Premier for the second successive season, but that is where the similarities end.

The Premier division pits the top four from the North West section against the leading quartet from the South East, and points gained against fellow qualifiers are carried forward before they play the four teams home and away from the opposite section.

“We only carried nine points forward last season, which pretty much meant that we had to win all of our matches to stand a chance of finishing in the top two,” says Wibsey’s chairman Steve Brooke.

“This season we have carried 26 forward after winning the North West Division (last year they were fourth), and after beating Hessle away last weekend in the first Premier fixture of the season, we need another 21 points from seven matches.”

Tomorrow the formidable obstacle of South East champions Ossett pitch up at Northfield Road, with Wibsey, who have prop John Bradbury available, already having beaten them there 46-24 in the second round of the Yorkshire Vase in November.

What sticks in the memory of Wibsey’s player-coach Andy Robinson, however, is the way that Wibsey started that game.

He said: “We were 24-0 down in no time and we can’t afford to let that happen again against a team who were missing four or five of their better players that day.”

A win could take Wibsey to the top of the table in this battle of the leading duo as they have 31 points to Ossett’s 34.

Bradford & Bingley coach Anthony Posa wants his team to repeat their second-half display from last weekend’s 29-29 draw at Pocklington in the North One East clash at home to sixth-placed Driffield.

Posa said: “We were buffeted by Storm Erik and had first use of the wind but turned round at half-time behind against a team who rarely lose at home.

“At the start of the match I would have been disappointed not to win but I would have bitten your hand off for a draw at half-time. We were outstanding in the second half.”

The fifth-placed Bees will give a debut to second row Jarman Langton, who has signed from Doncaster.

Eleventh-placed Cleckheaton, who have lost five in a row since beating Bradford & Bingley in mid-December, host 10th-placed York, who have lost five of their last six.

Bradford Salem, who are ninth, have a tough match in prospect at fourth-placed Beverley, who have won their last five, in Yorkshire Division One.

Keighley, who are 10th, are at leaders Moortown, who have won 15 in a row since losing to Heath.

Old Grovians, winners of their last four matches in Yorkshire Division Two, are at Wetherby, while next-to-bottom Baildon entertain seventh-placed Knottingley, who have won their last five, in Yorkshire Division Three.

Wibsey (home to Ossett): B Wright; B Mpofu, R Moore, N Marchant, J Payton; A Robinson, K Carter; S Birkbeck, J Brown, J Bradbury, E Cousins, M Grimes, M Darragh, M Kite, J Tordoff. Replacements from: C McParland, D Carr, A Cerson, S Smith, L Wilson, D Wilkinson, R Greenwood.