THINGS are really looking up for the two Darlington rugby clubs after both made moderate starts to the season.

Mowden Park moved into fourth place in National Three North by heroically defying a crippling injury list to win 13-10 at New Brighton last Saturday, while Darlington triumphed 40-12 at home to Cleckheaton.

Darlington moved up to fifth from the bottom and, after losing only narrowly to the top two in their previous two games, they knew they had nothing to fear.

Nothing, that is, except the sort of casualty list which has afflicted Mowden, who had five of the side which beat Kendal the previous week ruled out.

They were No 8 Matt Holmes (ankle), flanker Tim Wilks (dead leg), winger Andy Foreman (shoulder) and centres Mark Bedworth (hamstring) and Martin Shaw (Achilles).

Prop Dave Sinclair had treatment on a back problem last Thursday and both he and lock Ian Robinson (calf) defied their injuries to complete the game at New Brighton.

Tom Lauriston, who hadn't trained for four weeks because of injury, was pressed back into service alongside Gareth Kerr at centre, while former Barnard Castle School boys Matthew Brown and Joe Clarke made their debuts.

Winger Brown kicked the penalty which won the game five minutes from time, while Clarke, normally a prop, gave a good account of himself at blind side flanker.

Mowden expect to have several Newcastle Academy players available for tomorrow's home game against Rugby Lions as the Falcons Development XV have no game on Monday.

After that Mowden will hope to get most of their casualties fit for the two derbies away to Blaydon then at home to Darlington in two weeks.

Darlington visit third-placed Tynedale tomorrow and, if they can repeat last week's form, they will fancy their chances of causing an upset and starting a surge up the table.

Cleckheaton, who were a year behind Darlington in gaining promotion, won their first three games at national level, including the first at Mowden.

They looked the better side for the first 15 minutes on Saturday, but Darlington defended well to keep the score to 5-0 then turned the tables in increasingly impressive style.

Two of the six tries were scored by prop Joe Oselton as Darlington's driving mauls changed the game, although once they had established control they also showed that they had pace and skill out wide.

Scrum half Rob Stewart and winger Frankie Coulson were constant threats and the three teenagers in the backs all showed their paces, including 17-year-old Fraser Monohan making his debut on the left wing.

He may have been slightly fortunate in that he didn't have to oppose former British Lion John Bentley, who limped out of the visitors' warm-up and stayed on the touchline.

But Cleckheaton still had enough experience and bulk up front to take the game to their hosts in the first 15 minutes.

They finally scored in the left corner after a break by the fly half exposed a rare chink in the home defence.

The visitors were penalised for obstruction at the restart and things began to change. David Kell missed the penalty, but shortly afterwards Monohan had a good run following a long pass by Craig Lee and confidence started to build.

Darlington had been under pressure in the scrums, but they got to grips with the task and hooker Rob Goddard did well after replacing back injury victim Dan Oselton after 35 minutes.

The back row of Martin Howe, Del Lewis and 19-year-old No 8 Michael Taylor relished the chance to show they could attack as well as defend and Howe's appearance in the centre led to the first try after 25 minutes. He worked a loop and fed Coulson, who shrugged off a tackle then cut inside to take play almost to the line. When the ball came back from a ruck, lock Richard Snowball squeezed in at the right corner.

Kell's conversion hit a post and there was still no real sign of what was to follow as Cleckheaton hit back and should have scored, only for their right winger to knock on.

That was the big turning point as Darlington promptly drove a maul almost from their own line to the 22 then broke away up the blind side.

Cleckheaton were now under pressure and, when Craig Lee ran a failed clearance back at them, Dan Miller drove on and Kell kicked a penalty to put Darlington ahead after 32 minutes.

Five minutes later Stewart broke from just inside his own half and reached the 22, where a maul was set up and driven all the way to the line for Oselton to score.

That made it 13-5 at half-time then, after a series of drives, Oselton took an inside pass from Stewart following a ruck under the posts to score again. Kell converted and was again on target after Taylor was driven over.

After Kell kicked an easy penalty to make it 30-5 with 20 minutes left, Darlington sent on David Glendenning for Craig Lee.

Then came a cracking try when Taylor then Lewis drove on before Paul Lee probed the blind side and fed full back Kell, who showed impressive pace to score from 25 metres.

The final try came from what looked an over-hit kick by Lee, but the ball bounced unkindly for Cleckheaton over the line and centre Lee Davis touched down. The match was well into injury time before Cleckheaton scored their second try.

Darlington's hopes of developing a full back-up squad by playing in the Northern Second Teams League have been hit by several of their Catterick-based Fijians being called up to serve in Iraq.

But they were still good enough to beat Cleckheaton on a very encouraging day for the club.

Mowden's difficulties in raising a team saw them ship blind side flanker Fosita Tanginoa out to the wing and Paul Evans switched from lock to No 8, where he was outstanding in a tremendous team effort.

Mowden had only one fit replacement, prop Peni Fakelelu, who had to go on after 50 minutes when Ian Keeligan's back gave way.

In dreadful conditions, Evans used his experience to keep things tight, while open side Matt Wright produced a lively performance.

New Brighton dominated the first ten minutes but had nothing to show for it as they hit the post with a simple penalty.

The first time Mowden escaped their own half they were awarded a penalty, plus an extra ten metres for backchat. Richard Holbrough took a quick tap and hooker Tasi Tuhana was driven over.

Brown converted, but the hosts came back with a converted try from a line-out drive followed by a penalty which went in off a post to lead 10-7 at half-time.

New Brighton lost a lock with a neck injury, which caused a long delay, and, with the wind and rain behind them, Mowden Park were well on top after the break.

Fly half Michael Georgiou levelled the scores with a sweet drop goal from a scrum 25 metres out.

Brown missed two penalties before New Brighton again conceded ten metres for backchat, bringing him within range for the winning kick from 30 metres.