North Walsham Vikings will have a big point to prove

Having had a week off to reflect on their wayward performance at Old Priorians North Walsham Vikings will hopefully have learned the lessons well enough to up their game when they host Thurrock at Scottow tomorrow.

The break will certainly have given coach Nick Greenhall time to review what went wrong as his side let a winning lead slip and they returned pointless. His first reaction was that they lacked maturity and if that was a factor then it is only something that the players can address as for the most part they are an experienced squad.

The visitors should pose a few problems as although there is a five place difference in league position they are a mere four points adrift with 19 to the Vikings 23 showing just how tight it is in the mid-table.

Although nothing at this stage is certain, selection problems should have eased somewhat despite the fact that further injuries were picked up at Old Priorians. Both prop Tom Browes and scrum-half Dean Blyth suffered broken fingers and Stuart Loose is still troubled with a back injury though could be on the brink of a return. On the positive side Aki Downing had a good run with the Raiders last week and Tim Weber is also back from injury to take over from Browes. Also due back from injury are Chris Godwin and the Oakes brothers Matt and Ryan who if not in the starting line-up will almost certainly be in the squad.

With Dean Blyth out with injury and Jacques Olivier having to return to South Africa to visit his father who is in hospital Henry Dewing will take the No 9 shirt with Chris Borrett as his half back partner. Will Hodgson will return to the centre alongside Rhys Davies-Horne, giving the back line a more balanced appearance.

The Raiders return to league action with the visit of Wisbech II hoping to maintain their winning run.