Two west Cumbrian heavyweights go head-to-head tomorrow in amateur rugby league’s match of the day.

Wath Brow and Kells haven’t met on many occasions in recent years but they will make up for that in their first-ever National Conference Premier clash at Red Beck (2.30pm).

A bumper crowd is expected for the game and interest from other parts of the county is high.

Peter Smith, the Kells coach, said: “I know there are quite a few people coming up from south Cumbria as the game is proving quite a talking point.

“I know local bragging rights are on the line but as far as I’m concerned two points are on the line, and that’s what it’ all about.

“This is a tough league and we are new to it. Wath Brow have been established for a while now and are one of the leading lights, a well organised side.

“I was just so pleased we got our first points at this level on Saturday against a decent Wigan St Patrick’s team. We had lost to Siddal, and then to Oldham in the Challenge Cup and if we had lost to St Pat’s our confidence would have been dented.

“We were 8-0 down at half-time but came back really well in the second-half to win 18-8 and that really has been a boost for us ahead of the derby.”

The last time the clubs’ senior sides met was in January 2010 when the Hornets beat their Whitehaven visitors 14-6 in the qualifying round of the Challenge Cup.

Wath Brow are third favourites to win the Conference Premier title, priced at 5/1 behind Siddal (2/1) and Leigh Miners Rangers (5/2) while Kells have drifted to 8/1, fifth in the betting.

Certainly Hornets’ coach Ian Rooney will be pleased with a 100 per cent return from the two games played so far – a derby win at home against Egremont and then a very good victory on the long trek to play Hull Dockers.

Their third game, at home to Rochdale Mayfield, was postponed last week because of a waterlogged pitch but there should be no such weather problems for the derby this weekend.

Egremont have become the poor relations among west Cumbria’s Conference triumvirate and are the early strugglers without a win to their name.

To add to their woes coach Gary Charlton resigned and in the first match since his departure, a 22-0 loss at Pilkington Recs, Lewis Beckwith one of their leading players suffered damaged ankle ligaments.

Caretaker coach Paul Henson said: “That’s going to keep him out for a few weeks, and at Pilkington we finished with only one fully fit substitute because of injuries during the game. Overall the second-half performance was encouraging.”

Henson is holding the reins until the club find a successor to Charlton and they have already started the ball rolling by discussing potential candidates.

Tomorrow they are on the road again when they travel to Wigan St Patrick’s.