Westoe Rugby Club chairman Duncan Murray asked sports fans to show their support as they prepare for tomorrow's visit of Harrogate (kick-off 3pm).

He declared: "What you might call a bread and butter club like ours has achieved something of a sporting miracle to get so far.

"We are now among the rugby elite, which brings kudos and prestige to the whole of South Tyneside.

"I urge people to come along to give the team plenty of moral and vocal support. They deserve it."

Although beaten 38-15 at Caldy on Saturday in their National 2 North debut, the Dunes Adventure Island-sponsored Shieldsmen, who paid the penalty for defensive errors, fought hard and well to emerge with plenty of credit.

Indeed, home team officials predicted that they will do better than the mid-table place that director of rugby Andy Howells would be satisfied with as the squad establishes itself at the faster, tougher stratum.

Newly-arrived Howells says Wood Terrace, where Westoe have played since the club's inception in 1875, must be its "fortress" – with points picked up away from home a bonus.

Gareth Nesbit, captain for the sixth successive year, and all others in the team's ranks, who have fought so hard in recent times to finally gain promotion from North One as champions, need no spurring on that point.

Their record in sending would-be victors home vanquished from Tyneside has become a considerable matter of pride, and deserves parading.

They have been beaten only once in 26 league and cup matches on their own turf since October 2006, and that was 18 games ago on November 19, 2007, when Kendal ran out 35-21 winners.

And the incentive to extend that sequence by clinching their first win at this lofty level in front of their own supporters will be immense.

Nesbit said: "Our successful record means a great deal to us, and we have special reason now to prolong it because we just can't afford to let points at home slip away.

"The louder the support from the crowd the greater the buzz we get, which is an important factor, so we hope there will be a big turn-out to cheer us on."

Reflecting on last week's curtain-raising defeat, he said: "We all knew this league would be tougher and faster, but that is what we wanted. Certainly the physical side doesn't bother us.

"Last season we played in only two or three games as challenging as that at Caldy. This season we can expect 29 more.

"But we will be all right, because we are all eager to learn and improve our individual game, and week by week we will get better. I am very upbeat."

Harrogate appear to be fighting back well from traumas caused when economic necessity meant they had to cut down on their payroll budget, resulting in the departure of a bevy of leading players.

They have recruited prudently, and having had pre-season victories over Pontefract, Mowden Park and National One side Blaydon, began this campaign with a 27-21 win against visitors Rugby Lions.

Player-coach Mike Aspinall has declared: "We are confident we can compete with anyone."

The game and match ball are being sponsored by a group of stalwart supporters who will sit down to a pre-match lunch to celebrate the club's remarkable ascent into the national realms.

Bad news is that gutsy hooker Nigel Douglas, 31, who has contributed so much since coming from Aspatria seven seasons ago, is likely to be on the sidelines at least until the turn of the year after tearing an arm muscle.

There's disappointment, too, that rugged teenage flanker Oliver Stedman, an England Under-19 cap who greatly impressed in five outings from the bench last term, has been placed with Otley by his Leeds Carnegie bosses.

The Thirds and Vic Young-sponsored Fourths both begin their league campaign away from home, respectively against Gateshead Seconds and Houghton.