NORTHWICH have been denied a chance to recover from last weekend’s defeat after their next opponents claimed they don’t have enough players available for selection.

As a result, Blacks’ home date with St Benedicts on Saturday has been called off and provisionally rescheduled for May.

The impact on their bid to finish in a promotion play-off place could be significant.

“This is serious, and we’re unhappy,” said Martin Poste, director of rugby at Northwich.

“It has the potential to set in motion a chain of events that could have ramifications for our entire season.

“And we’d hope the relevant authorities are sensitive to those possibilities.”

The game was originally scheduled for last November but was postponed because of the weather.

St Benedicts, 11th last season after being promoted the year before, were bottom of the table even then.

They have lost 14 successive games, and only a dozen men arrived at Warrington last weekend after a car broke down en route.

The Cumbrians trailed 75-0 by the break, and their hosts voluntarily withdrew three players afterwards to play 12-a-side.

They now risk a serious sanction for not fulfilling tomorrow’s fixture.

The Guardian understands that league secretary Ken Potter has asked the RFU’s Northern Division committee for their observations.

They have a range of options open to them including a fine, a points deduction – applicable either this season or next – or awarding a victory to Northwich.

However that isn't straightforward.

In rugby union, a win is worth four points.

A bonus-point can be added to that total if a team scores four tries.

With Northwich currently third in the table, two points adrift of second-placed Blackburn, the tariff for any win in an 'unplayed match' could have significant weight.

Blacks have yet to play St Benedicts, and coincidentally are due to travel there next weekend.

The regional committee has the power to reverse that fixture though and could order it to take place at Moss Farm.

Poste said: “There is a financial cost to us already because we’ve missed out on a home gate and the associated revenue that can generate.

“It is rare to play back-to-back games, admittedly, but even that dynamic has changed now.”