Larder lords it for Mowden

Blaydon slipped up with a 17-7 home defeat by an Esher side who tend not to travel well, while Tynedale's relegation was confirmed by a 38-20 defeat at Rosslyn Park.

Level at 21-21 with 15 minutes left, Mowden began to exert forward control and were awarded a penalty ten metres from the posts. The Students seemed to be expecting a kick at goal, but visiting scrum half Sam Stuart capped an influential display by taking a quick penalty and several passes later Larder crashed over.

Garry Law added his third conversion and despite picking up their third yellow card just before the end, Mowden held out comfortably.

Although the third sin-binning, supposedly for a high tackle by Callum Mackenzie, was considered harsh, Mowden will want to reduce their yellow card count next season.

Loughborough were rewarded for early dominance with a penalty and converted try before conceding the first of two tries which resulted from over-throwing at a defensive line-out.

Mackenzie took advantage of the the first to score, then with Mowden looking to run penalties Loughborough's questionable tactics in stopping them resulted in a scuffle. A player from each side was sin-binned, in Mowden's case lock Rob Conquest.

Prop Darren Fearn was the next to benefit from an innacurate throw-in, taking several students over with him, but Loughborough hit back with a try five minutes before the break then Mowden lock George Hedgley was sin-binned for pulling down an opponent at a line-out.

A penalty after half-time stretched the home lead to 18-14, but four minutes later a series of pick-and-drives ended with a try for Mowden's replacement prop Ignas Darkintis.

Law converted from wide out but with the game becoming very open Loughborough looked threatening and a penalty brought them level. In the end, however, Mowden's forward strength prevailed.

Esher flanker Peter Synnott scored a try in each half to sink a Blaydon side who trailed 8-7 at half-time but couldn't turn pressure into points with the wind behind them.

An early catch-and-drive try put Esher ahead, but Blaydon also scored following a line-out, winger Sean Brown going through a gap to touch down. Andrew Baggett's conversion put them in front, but Esher kicked a penalty before half-time and a quickly-taken penalty produced the clinching try.

West Hartlepool ensured survival in North One East with 20-15 win at Bradford and Bingley, whose relegation was confirmed when Northern also clinched safety by beating Horden 33-0.

Two penalties by Zac Southern, who also converted an interception try by No 8 Sam Miller, gave West a 13-5 half-time lead after playing with the strong wind behind them.

It did not look good when a second yellow card reduced them to 13 men shortly afterwards, but they held out and when back up to 14 they went further ahead.

Liam Bailey finished the move after a strong break and off-load by Miller, Southern again converting. Although the hosts hit back, West's staunch defence enabled them to hang on.

Middlesbrough's hopes of ending in third place in Yorkshire One were dashed by an 18-3 defeat at York, where they went 6-0 down and lost fly half Simon O'Farrell with a dislocated ankle in the first ten minutes.

They enjoyed long periods of domination but were unable to break down a very strong defence and gave away a soft try when a long pass missed its target and bounced into the hands of a York winger.

Jack Bircham kicked a penalty and Michael Thornburn broke through for a try which the referee ruled out after getting entangled with the move.

Guisborough's relentless march to the Durham and Northumberland title continued with an 87-5 home win against Gosforth, while second-placed Morpeth won 69-0 at home to Darlington.

Coach Martin Howe scored one of four tries in the last 15 minutes of the first half as Stockton built a 24-0 half-time lead at home to Sunderland.

Winger Matty Routh, full back Dan Phinn and centre Rob Graham also touched down and after Sunderland fought back Steven Tampin scored to clinch a 29-19 win.