Mowden determined to keep squad intact

9:27am Monday 28th April 2008

DARLINGTON Mowden Park are hopeful of having all their players except perhaps Ross Batty back for another crack at promotion to National Two next season.

After the agony of losing Saturday's play-off at Cinderford 15- 14 they know that it's time for the outstanding Batty to move up at least one level.

They will be looking for a hooker as Batty has another year on his Newcastle Falcons contract and there is every chance that if he is not required in the Premiership they will want him to play for Blaydon or Tynedale.

New Zealander Sean Buckley, who began the season as firstchoice hooker only to suffer an injury, will have to return home because his visa has run out.

Once Mowden had the gap down to one point with 20 minutes left on Saturday they attacked from everywhere and almost scored when centre James Clarke was pulled down inches short after a 30-yard run.

"We're all gutted," said backs coach Kevan Oliphant. "The players worked their backsides off and we played all the rugby.

"Cinderford were totally forward- orientated with their rolling mauls and pick-and-drives.

We made a few mistakes, but we couldn't have asked for any more from the players.

"We also appreciate the support we had. There were about 200 of our fans in a crowd of 1,500."

Mowden went 7-0 up after four minutes when scrum half Andy Foreman broke away on the blind side of a ruck 20 metres out. Noone laid a hand on him as he narrowed the angle for fly half Jon Benson to convert.

Cinderford replied with a catch-and-drive try then repeated it following a penalty to the corner after Mowden prop Dan Miller was harshly sin-binned after 34 minutes.

"He was penalised for going in from the side, but the referee got the wrong man. He was on the other side of the maul," said Oliphant.

It proved costly as while Mowden were still down to 14 men Cinderford scored again from a series of pick-and-drives.

After deciding to avoid lineouts as much as possible, Mowden attacked throughout the second half. Benson took a knock on the head for the second successive week and was replaced after 50 minutes by Charlie Rayner, who made a couple of good breaks.

Mowden scored midway through the half when Clarke broke away from a tackle on halfway and raced over, with Rayner adding the conversion.

But the winning score just wouldn't come.

"We've had a chat and everyone is committed to staying with the club and winning National Three North next season," said Oliphant.

Durham City also failed to gain promotion to North One when they lost their play-off at home to Stockport 18-13.

While City were not at their best, they had no complaints about losing to a side with very lively backs, led by an excellent fly half in ex-Rotherham Academy man Tom Eaton.

He kicked two drop goals, scored a try and added a conversion as the North Two West runners- up stretched away to lead 18- 6 before City scored a converted try near the end through winger Chris Metcalfe.

Blaydon ended their National Two programme with a 27-10 defeat at home to Westcombe Park, who brought 70 fans and contributed to the carnival atmosphere as a jazz band played for two hours afterwards.

Blaydon's scrum half crisis since Hall Charlton was recalled by Newcastle culminated in Andy Wright, normally a flanker, having to play there.

The retirement of Charlie Roe, who has played in the back row and at hooker, was announced in the programme because of an arthritic knee. But he had to go on off the bench for the last six minutes.

The score was 10-10 after 50 minutes, when the visitors sent on the man generally felt to be the division's best player, No 8 Tom Hayman. He was not fully fit but controlled the rest of the game, which included being driven over for the next try.

The conversion was followed by a penalty and Westcombe Park added another converted try through a winger with five minutes left.

Blaydon had taken an early lead after full back Ralph Smith made 50 metres from his own 22, then after a series of mauls No 8 Jason Smithson touched down.

Fly half Richard Windle added a good conversion and landed a second half penalty.

Having flown down to Redruth this season, Blaydon face three trips to Cornwall next season as Mounts Bay were promoted from Three South and Launceston came down from National One.

Stockton won the Durham Junior Cup final 35-13 against Barnard Castle at Hartlepool Rovers, controlling the game until they were 35-3 up midway through the second half, when they sent all their replacements on.

Left-winger Paul Murphy could have had a hat-trick had he not stepped over the dead-ball line in attempting to run round behind the posts. The other winger, Paul Armstrong, also scored and the other tries came from prop Dan Muirhead and scrum half Owain Jenkins, with Jeremy Good adding two penalties and two conversions.

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