DARLINGTON Mowden Park took heart from an improved performance last Saturday, despite losing 22-21 to Richmond in front of 1,013 fans on sponsors' day at The Northern Echo Arena.

With two of the three teams below them winning, they are only one point off the bottom of National One. But there are signs that some with smaller squads are beginning to feel the strain, including next week's visitors Hull Ionians.

First, Mowden face the daunting trek tomorrow to Plymouth Albion, who lost four players to their visitors following relegation from the Championship.

They include lock Tom Jubb, last week's man of the match, and winger Jake Henry, who made an impressive debut following injury.

Also making his first start was 23-year-old South African fly half Warren Seals, signed because of Grant Connon's latest long-term injury.

The casualty list continues to be a concern, with back row man Rory Duff having to play at fly half in the second team's 27-12 win against Tynedale.

There are still plenty of wingers, however, with Fijian Sami Sema staking his claim with a hat-trick in that match.

Defeat by Richmond was tough to take for Mowden as they dominated for much of the game and rallied well to turn a 15-9 deficit early in the second half into a 21-15 lead.

But when Richmond scored their fourth try five minutes from time, their replacement kicker landed the conversion from wide on the right.

Had their original marksman not missed his three conversions, plus a fairly simple penalty, it could have been worse for Mowden as they lost the try-count 4-2.

The one area where Richmond were superior was in taking their chances, although little was seen of ex-Mowden captain Cameron Mitchell at outside centre.

The two other ex-Mowden men did make an impact, with open side Jack Allcock finishing a catch-and-drive for his seventh try of the season, while scrum half Sam Stuart set up the final try with an astute kick to the right wing.

With Jubb and second row partner Rob Conquest starring in a good pack performance, Mowden started brightly and led 6-0.

The scrum was strong, leading to Garry Law's second penalty, but Richmond scored from their first serious attack, pulling in the defence with a burst up the left before creating an overlap for the right winger.

Another strong scrum allowed Law to make it 9-5, but when Richmond were awarded a five-metre scrum, they got a shove on and Mowden were penalised. The No 8 took it quickly to drive over.

Allcock's try extended the visitors' lead after 55 minutes, but Mowden replied in kind, kicking a penalty to touch and mounting a ten-metre drive finished by Conquest.

With 13 minutes left, they went back in front when Jubb broke from a line-out and the ball was moved left for Seals to cut through for a try.

Law's conversion made it 21-15, but Mowden may have paid the price for trying to hang on with minimal use of their bench.

Middlesbrough are only one point behind Durham and Northumberland One leaders Durham City following a 13-6 win at Acklam.

In the first league meeting between the sides, Boro went ahead after three minutes when flanker Liam Wilson pounced on a loose ball to set up a try for Andy Micklewright.

An error-strewn scrap ensued, with Acklam missing two penalties before landing two either side of Boro's second try, expertly finished by winger Rhys Kilbride. Simon Moore added a simple late penalty.

Stockton won 20-16 at home to Ponteland with tries by Craig Slaughter, Brian Morris and Dan Phinn, who added a penalty and a conversion.

Darlington, the only team below Ponteland, conceded 50 points for the fourth successive game, losing 56-0 at home to Horden.

The likelihood of Barnard Castle exchanging places with Darlington remains strong after they leapt to the top of division two by scoring 16 tries in romping to a 100-0 home win against Wallsend. Ex-Mowden winger Chris McTurk and Rob Stanwix scored four each.

With Mowden Sharks pair Tamara Taylor and Abbie Scott in the second row, England Women lost 11-0 to France in Martigues. Two more Sharks, Ruth Leybourn and LaToya Mason, were on the bench.

Northallerton moved up to fifth in Yorkshire Three with a 26-3 win away to Leeds Medics and Dentists. The driving rain and wind played into the visitors' hands and from the outset they stuck to their game plan of keeping the ball in the forwards.

On the rare occasions the Medics' speedy backs did get the ball, they couldn't penetrate an excellent defence.

But the forwards were the stars of the show, scoring all four tries. There were two for Jeremy Deas and one each for Joe Oselton and Samoan Rob Green, with Iain Macleod defying the conditions to add three conversions.

The team were delighted to leave Leeds with a bonus point victory in a game that most people on the local rugby forums had backed Medics to win easily.

Last week also saw the club invited to the Hambleton District Council awards evening, where they were named Team of the Year after the most successful season in the club's history.

Having made more than 600 first team appearances for the club, organising countless tours, training at every available session and generally being a stalwart of Yorkshire rugby for 30 years, Nicholas "Tank" Bainbridge was given a well-deserved lifetime achievement award.

North are at home to Old Otliensians tomorrow, kick-off 2.15pm.