Darlington duo left with much to play for
DEFEATS for both Darlington
clubs in atrocious conditions on
Saturday meant they still have
everything to play for in their remaining
two league games.
Mowden Park's run of seven
wins ground to a halt with a 17-
10 defeat in the Macclesfield mud
and they are now only two points
ahead of third-placed Fylde in
National Three North.
But Mowden are still clear
favourites for the promotion
play-off as Fylde still have to visit
champions Tynedale.
Darlington found that Penrith's
recent improvement in
their battle to escape bottom
place in North One had not been
exaggerated as the hosts won 31-
13.
But with Liverpool St Helens
and Altrincham Kersal both losing,
Darlington remain two
points clear of the bottom three,
who are all on ten points.
Macclesfield, battling to avoid
relegation, used their forward
strength to complete a double
over Mowden, who scored the
first and last tries through
wingers Iain Dixon and
Lawrence Oliver.
A last-minute replacement for
Charlie Rayner, who broke down
in the warm-up, Oliver took his
chance well.
Otherwise Macclesfield's incessant
mauling was the dominant
feature and they went
ahead after 29 minutes through
a converted catch-and-drive try
following a penalty to the corner.
They added a penalty early in
the second half then their forwards
drove over for another converted
try.
Following a brawl under the
posts Mowden ran the resultant
penalty and got nowhere. But
when the forwards adopted their
hosts' tactics they made
progress, enabling scrum half
Andy Foreman to go for the line.
He was stopped ten metres short
but popped the ball up for Oliver,
who finished in style.
Mowden sent all their replacements
on when they were told
there were nine minutes to go.
But less than half that time
elapsed before the referee blew
for time.
Although Darlington were
never ahead at Penrith, playing
against the wind in the second
half they scored tries through
prop Joe Oselton and replacement
lock Chris Oakley to be in
the hunt at 19-13. But Penrith
scored two late tries in conditions
which favoured them.
Darlington have been told the
Durham Cup final against Westoe
next Saturday will be played at
Mayfield Park, Hartlepool, but
coach Kevin Robinson said: "We
just want to go out and play some
rugby.
"We need to win our last two
league games, but that won't stop
us fielding our strongest available
side in the final."
Depleted Blaydon were delighted
to make absolutely certain
of National Two survival
with a 21-7 home win against Waterloo.
Club spokesman Jim Huxley
said: "It's been a marvellous season
and it is finishing as we
hoped it would. We now have the
chance to look forward to next
year and blood a few youngsters
because our three remaining
games involve no promotion or
relegation issues."
Among the youngsters who
can expect more game time is
lock Andrew Archibald, who was
named on the bench on Saturday
but played for the first hour in
place of Dave Guthrie.
The captain had been delayed
by emergency police work but
took over for the last 20 minutes
after Archibald had enhanced his
reputation.
No 8 Jason Smithson capped
another outstanding performance
by scoring both Blaydon's
tries, while fly half Richard Windle
kicked three downwind
penalties in the second half.
With Duncan Brown, normally
a back row man, putting in some
huge hits at centre, Waterloo
were restricted to one converted
try as they led 7-5 at half-time.
Windle's long-range efforts
made it 14-7 before he relieved
late pressure with a massive kick
and Smithson drove over from a
five-metre scrum.
Middlesbrough moved up to
sixth in North One with a 13-7
win at Cleckheaton, where conditions
dictated that neither side
could hang on to the ball.
Playing downwind, Boro went
ahead through two penalties by
Simon Moore, the second from 45
metres, and they added a converted
try just before half-time.
They kicked a penalty to touch,
then attacked the line before releasing
the ball for flanker Matt
Wright to score in the centre.
Boro, who now face two free
weeks, battled hard against the
wind and the home try came in
the dying seconds.
The home game against
Birkenhead Park scheduled for
April 12 has been put back two
weeks because of the
Merseysiders' involvement in the
EDF Intermediate Cup final.
Billingham's 53-10 win at
Ryton saw them forge a point
ahead at the top of Durham and
Northumberland One as Northern
were held to a 6-6 draw at
Wallsend.
For the first time this season
Stockton beat a side above them
in the table when they won 16-8
at home to Gosforth.
Although the cross-wind
served merely to spoil the game,
Stockton played downhill in the
first half but after leading
through two Jeremy Good penalties
they trailed 8-6.
They went back in front in
added time when skipper Mark
Skirving was driven over following
a five-metre scrum.
With Scott Powell to the fore at
No 8 on his return to the club, and
hooker Danny Muirhead prominent,
the Stockton forwards
hung on to the ball in deteriorating
conditions. Good's third
penalty provided the only addition
to the score.
9:46am Monday 31st March 2008
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