Boro ready for top encounter
MIDDLESBROUGH need to avenge their early season defeat at Billingham today if they are to retain any hope of toppling their neighbours from the automatic promotion spot in North One East.
In terms of the table, the Teesside derby is less important to Billingham as they are eight points clear of Wheatley Hills, with Boro a point further adrift.
But Chris Hyndman's men will bring plenty of vocal support and will be fully fired-up as they attempt to repeat the 33-13 home win they enjoyed in the second match.
With the league programme at the halfway stage, Billingham's superiority is underlined by the fact that in 13 games they have accrued a points difference of 304, compared with Boro's 160.
But with their fleet-footed backs Billingham are a top-of-the-ground side and the conditions should help Boro today.
Their forwards should be buoyed by last week's 28-5 win at Wheatley Hills and they know that the relevance of that victory will be reduced if they fail to follow it up.
The debris throughout the inside of the home? Somebody else's problem, too. "They said (cleanup) would have to be put out to bid," neighbor John Beasley said. The home ranks among the 15 most blighted properties in Modesto, city building inspection