DARLINGTON Mowden Park are looking for a new coach for next season as they attempt to build on their new status as the North-East's second highest club.

Chairman John Parkinson was quick to deny speculation that the loss of utility back Jonny Golightly to Blaydon this week could spark an exodus of players.

"We have had four years of outstanding success and I don't see any sign of things falling apart at the seams," he said.

"Unfortunately, Dave Mitchell's illness plus the loss of Tony Elwine and Aaron Radaelli has left Kevan Oliphant with too much of a burden on the coaching side.

"He just wants to concentrate on playing next season, so we are looking to recruit a coach who can bring in some new ideas."

Hooker Tasi Tuhana, who has been with the club for four years, is also believed to have had contact with Blaydon, but Parkinson said: "I'm planning on him being with us at least until the end of the season.

"We are disappointed with the way the season has gone because we set ourselves high standards, but we recognise that this is the time to rebuild and we hope to recruit a couple of players in the next month.

"We are confident of ending the season as the highest placed side in the North-East outside of Newcastle Falcons."

A rivalry for that mantle has developed with Blaydon following West Hartlepool's slide, but both clubs have seen a number of personnel changes as they have built squads big enough to compete in National Division Three North.

Golightly, a former Durham School fly half who also played for West before joining Mowden last season, was seen as a likely successor to Oliphant in the No 10 shirt.

But he has also been tried at centre and scrum half and was not happy about being sent on only for the last five minutes of Saturday's 39-19 defeat by New Brighton.

Blaydon's fly half, James Lofthouse, will be out for two more weeks with a leg injury and is leaving shortly as he has landed a job in London.

If the registration goes through in time, Golightly could make his debut for Blaydon tomorrow at Whitchurch, where he played one of his best games for Mowden.

Plans for Blaydon and Mowden to play a league and county cup double-header in midweek under the Crow Tree floodlights have fallen through as they have been unable to agree a date.

The league match will now be on March 2, with the cup tie three weeks later, which is supposed to be semi-final day.

Stockton hand a first start tomorrow to lock Steve Craven at home to Morpeth, who are two places above them, lying third in North East Two.

Craven impressed when he went on last week for Mark Skirving, who broke a foot against Goole, while another replacement, Joe Green, keeps his place in the back row. Centre Graham Kell and scrum half Nicky Poole both return.

* Newcastle's David Walder will be at fly half for England A against Scotland at Stirling tonight, when clubmate Andrew Mower will be in the back row for the opposition. Falcons' scrum half Hall Charlton is on the bench for England, but there is no place for Tom May.

* Former Blaydon, Durham County and England A flanker Paul Gustard, who is out of the first team picture at Leiceaster, has joined London Irish on loan