KEIGHLEY’S head coach Danny McGee is reading little into the respective positions of his club and Bradford Salem going into their Yorkshire Division One derby tomorrow at Shay Lane.

After victories at Yarnbury (14-6) and at home to Acklam (36-0), Keighley have yet to concede a try and are second in the table.

On the other hand, Salem have lost matches at Hullensians (20-18) and Beverley (30-24) and are 11th in the table on two points, seven points behind Keighley. However, McGee said: “This is Salem’s first home game of the season, they are playing Keighley, they will be more determined than ever to beat us and I am expecting nothing less than an absolute battle.”

Salem’s first-team manager Neil Klenk said: “No team will relish going to Hullensians and Yarnbury, and we have got them out of the way early and picked up two points from two very difficult away games.

“The only disappointing aspect has been our discipline as Danny Belcher has picked up yellow cards in both matches, which is out of character for him but turned out to be costly for us, while Christian Baines was also sin-binned last week at Beverley.

“It is something that we are going to have to address in what is likely to be a good atmosphere.

“but these are the sort of matches that you want to play in, and the bigger the stage the more of a motivation it is to do well.”

McGee is expecting their toughest test of the season so far as Yarnbury finished fourth from bottom last season and Acklam have moved over from the Durham & Northumberland divisions, which are traditionally weaker than their Yorkshire counterparts.

Acklam had periods when they dominated territory and possession, but McGee confessed: “I never thought that they were going to break us down, while we didn’t break them down as much as we should have done.

“But we had a mixed day in the scrum and line-outs, where we are still juggling personnel and finding our best combinations.”

Salem are without Belcher, Connor Malarkey and Ethan Perkins, the latter two due to work commitments, but welcome back Jack Mitchell at scrum half.

Former Bradford Grammar School full back Kodie Brook reverts to 15 in place of Belcher, while Tom O’Sullivan moves from prop to hooker, freeing up Ali Veitch to play in the back row.

An ace in the hole for Salem could be their 20-year-old physio Louis Chaudron, who is on the bench, having previously played for Worcester Academy.

Bradford Salem (home to Keighley): K Brook; R Smith, H Hall, S Savage, N Fontaine; A Robinson, J Mitchell; J Bradbury, T O’Sullivan, A Brar, J Cunliffe, J Morrell, C Wood, C Baines, A Veitch. Replacements (from): S Gardner, C Killen, D McNicholl, L Chaudron.