UPDATE.
Received the piston / rings today and fitted them. Fitted new head gasket, torqued head, seated valves and checked clearance, made crankcase gasket as I didn't order one originally but I made with gasket paper which is the same thickness as the heavy one that is supplied in the kit for this engine. Torqued the crankcase also. I fitted the engine back into the yardman mower and it fired up on the first turn of the key. One thing I noticed is that if I remove the oil filler plug while running the rev's will drop. Is this normal or do I still have a problem with the engine. I am not a mechanic so I don't know if this is normal.