Darlington Mowden Park 27 Esher 13

MOWDEN Park will be without a recognised fly half for this week's game at Blaydon after Warren Seals joined their lengthy casualty list on Saturday.

The impressive South African, given a warm ovation by appreciative fans, is the third goal-kicking No 10 to be crocked this season following Grant Connon and Garry Law.

After converting two early tries and adding a penalty for a 17-0 lead aginst Esher, he was carried off after 25 minutes and it wasn't until eight minutes from time that Mowden nailed down the win with their third try.

Esher's desire to run from anywhere was a high-risk strategy in the greasy conditions and initially played into Mowden's hands.

But the visitors looked capable of turning the tables in mid-match, especially with Mowden twice down to 14 because of yellow cards for Gareth Nesbit and Talite Vaioleti.

Nesbit was binned following a minor spat five minutes after half-time, Darren Fearn going on for the next scrum and staying on for the rest of the game.

Vaioleti continued to make his late-season impact in the first half and was perhaps ready for a breather when he saw yellow for pulling down a maul midway through the second. But at least it gave him ten minutes at the end to help ensure victory.

With Luca Petillo having suffered another broken thumb, Rory Duff took the chance to shine at open side and Ali Bone was a forceful presence deputising for injured No 8 Olly Hodgson.

Mowden were ahead after 90 seconds. They drove a line-out from halfway, Simon Uzokwe broke off and rode a tackle to reach the 22 before the ball was moved right and winger Jake Henry appeared outside Seals to take a short pass and burst under the posts.

After six minutes hooker Santi Socino took a good pass from Duff and charged to the right corner before the ball was move left and Taioleti went under posts.

After Seals' 16th-minute penalty the only consolation in his injury was that it gave Callum Makenzie the chance to show his worth at centre, with Chris Auld switching to fly half.

But Esher were beginning to get on top and just before half-time they broke on the blind side of a ruck on halfway to score.

The penalty which followed Nesbit's yellow card made it 17-8, but Mowden survived the rest of the ten minutes with 14 men and the left-footed Auld casually stroked over a 30-metre penalty.

After Taioleti's sin-binning Esher opted for a scrum, which took up almost three minutes because of re-sets before they moved the ball out to score on the right wing.

Mowden sent on Bruno Bravo at scrum half with Matt Walsh switching to full back and he scored the decisive try.

It followed a stong line-out drive before a turn of pace from Mackenzie took him outside his marker and he offloaded for Walsh's well-timed run to take him clear.

Auld converted and will probably have to be entrusted with the job again when Blaydon attempt to avenge their thrashing at the Northern Echo Arena in December.

*With ex-Mowden men Cameron Mitchell, Jack Allcock and Sam Stuart almost ever-present, Richmond clinched the automatic promotion spot with a 33-29 win away to Hartpury College.

Wharfedale's 20-year reign at this level ended when they lost 18-10 at home to Hull Ionians. They join Henley and Cinderford in the drop.