DARLINGTON Mowden Park are confident they will not let their recent high standards slip after suffering a knock to the system last weekend.

Mowden Park will go into this afternoon’s visit of Loughborough Students, who sit two places above them in National League One, looking to forget about the a home defeat to high-flying Plymouth Albion.

Prior to the loss to Albion, joint second on points, Mowden had gone on a run of just one defeat from their six previous matches to climb up the table and clear of any trouble.

To have lost 20-17 is a far cry from the 39-3 thumping at Plymouth in October, which was followed by a 29-14 reversal the following week against the Students.

Mowden are desperate to avoid a repeat of that when Loughborough turn up at The Northern Echo Arena today, with director of rugby Danny Brown hopeful his team can return to winning ways.

Brown said: “We let ourselves down ultimately at set piece during last week’s frustrations against Plymouth despite playing well in big parts. It just wasn't good enough on our behalf.

“Having said that the team have come a long way since our defeat away at Plymouth but we need to start turning these small margins in our favour.

“Loughborough, we know, are a side who enjoy the width of our pitch and are very keen to throw the ball around. I am sure it'll be a pretty open game but for us if we can secure quality set-piece ball then I'd like to think we can cause them problems.”

Jack Jones returns to the starting line-up at lock for the first time since facing Loughborough in October and hooker James Penman is back in the mix after missing the last few weeks. Will Murray retains his place on the left-wing after an impressive return to the fold against Plymouth.

Brown said: “We have had a bit of a move around in the forward with James Penman returning, Jack Payne will move back to second row where he joins Jack Jones. Rob Conquest goes into the back row with Joe Craggs and Matt Heaton.

“In the backs we are sticking with the same set up as last week against Plymouth however we have Joel Gill back in the mix on the bench and a welcome return to the squad.”

Blaydon will look to improve their position at the wrong end of the table when they face Esher, three places and 14 points above them, after the 80-9 humiliation they suffered to leaders Hartbury College.

But the Tynesiders had won their two previous matches to raise spirits within the squad and around the club, so they hope that such a heavy defeat to a team with a 100 per cent record has not taken its toll.

Billingham should be able to close the gap on the teams above them in National League Three North when they come up against the basement boys.

Stockport, even if they are at home, have lost all 18 fixtures so far and conceded a staggering 1,110 points, while they have recorded just 136 in their favour. The odds are heavily stacked on an away win.

West Hartlepool should be able to stay with Pocklington in North One East. West, who are three points behind the leaders, are at bottom club Wheatley Hills, who have not won a game all season either.

Then Durham City will look to leapfrog Morpeth when the two mid-table sides go head-to-head and Guisborough will look to give their lowly position a boost against fifth bottom Driffield.