Preston Grasshoppers are favourites says Dan, despite sides’ like-for-like starts

However, Preston Grasshoppers’ superior ability to pick up bonus points sees them four places and six points ahead of the visitors, who are 10th in the table after both sides started the season with three victories, one draw and four defeats.

Hoppers head coach Dan Orwin said: “If we get our performance right, we should get five points.

“Billingham have been well beaten in three or four games. They have been struggling against good teams and have no consistency.”

But he will be hoping his side avoid getting “a couple of key moments wrong”, as they did in the narrow defeat by Leeds Tykes two weeks ago.

“Leeds felt they’d got away with one,” he said. “They were really rattled. I was disappointed, but we’ve got to take the positives.”

This week, Harvey May comes in on the wing for the injured Owain Williams, Cam Wilkinson is in the back row and there will be a debut off the bench for speedy full-back Jensen Hamilton.

Hoppers won both games last season – 38-24 at Billingham and 26-22 at home.

On a run of five successive victories, Fylde host Otley, who have won four and lost four to date to sit seventh on 20 points.

After six wins out of eight overall, Fylde are fourth, on 30 points.

They beat Otley 41-18 at home last season, but lost 46-22 in Yorkshire, which will concentrate minds strongly tomorrow.

Seeking a third successive victory in Regional Two North West, Vale of Lune are at home to bottom club Winnington Park.

The visitors have won just once, at Eccles, in seven games.

Fifth-placed Vale have won four and lost three games so far.

They lost 23-21 at Park last season, but won 31-10 at Powderhouse Lane.

Matt Ridley comes in on the wing for Vale, Damian Hall returns at full-back and Mark Goodman starts in the back row, with Tim Nicholson switching to lock.