AN excellent win for Darlington and a sixth successive defeat for Mowden Park last Saturday left the sides locked together on 31 points in National Three North.

While Darlington still have to play two of the three sides below them at home and the other, Cleckheaton, away tomorrow, there are no easy games left for Mowden. They are six points above a relegation spot and unless they stop the rot at home to New Brighton tomorrow they could be in trouble.

Mowden lost 18-3 at Rugby Lions and in three of the last four games have totalled eight points, underlining how much they miss Mark Bedworth.

It is hoped he will be fit to return tomorrow, while Mowden will also be looking to bring in some Newcastle Academy players, who have rarely been available to them this season.

Prop Danny Brown was told by the Newcastle physio not to play last week, and with Ian Keeligan having defied injury in the previous two games, Dave Sinclair had to be pressed into service one final time.

He left for New Zealand on Wednesday and, after his seven years' service, he was given the honour of leading out Mowden at Rugby. His teammates presented him with a hip flask afterwards.

Mowden need Darlington to do them a favour tomorrow by winning at Cleckheaton, a result which would also go a long way towards securing safety for the Blackwell Meadows club, who won 38-19 at home to Tynedale last Saturday.

Man of the match was former skipper David Glendenning, whose running from full back provided the same constant threat as it used to do in the lower leagues.

Always keen to counter-attack and come into the line, he side-stepped and bounced off tackles, and he was solid in defence.

Glendenning's selection saw goal-kicker David Kell switched to the left wing, where the youngster used his pace to score two tries in a personal tally of 23 points, which took his season's total to 116.

After overturning an early 12-3 deficit to lead 13-12 at half-time, Darlington quickly found their best form and produced a series of high-speed attacks.

After an even first half Glendenning came into the line to set up two tries within ten minutes of the restart for Kell, and Tynedale had no answer to Darlington's extra gear.

It was only the visitors' fifth defeat of the season and the first time they had conceded more than 30 points.

The early signs were not good for Darlington as they were punished by Tynedale full back Will Massey, the division's player of the month for December.

When the otherwise solid Ben Snook failed to find touch with a penalty Massey drove Darlington back almost to their own line with a superb kick and flanker Rowan Brown scored off the tail of a line-out.

Kell replied with a penalty, but then a Tynedale attack ended with a long pass going to ground, but bouncing kindly for Massey to go under the posts for his tenth try of the season.

He added the conversion, but the match was almost in injury time before Tynedale scored again as Darlington took control.

Once they started to go forward No 8 Del Lewis became increasingly prominent, as was young hooker Dan Oselton, while lock Richard Snowball was his usual towering self.

A sumptuous piece of skill by fly half Paul Lee provided the first try as he dummied to go outside an opponent before turning back inside to send Glendenning on a 20-metre run to the posts.

Kell converted before adding his second penalty to secure the slender half-time lead.

A Glendenning break sparked the match-winning surge shortly after the interval. The attack was continued up the right before the ball came left with Glendenning in the line and Snook put Kell over in the corner.

Five minutes later it was almost an action replay as an excellent attack up the right ended with Craig Lee putting a foot in touch. But the ball was regained and moved left for Glendenning to send Kell in again.

Snowball then won a line-out on Tynedale's throw and Darlington drove over from 20 metres, flanker Michael Taylor touching down.

Kell converted and with 20 minutes left the contest was as good as over.

Darlington sent on Catterick-based Fijian Joe Naga for his league debut in the back row, where he put in a couple of big hits but unfortunately missed Tynedale's young fly half, Gavin Beasley, who scored a late converted try.

Darlington came back with Paul Lee picking up a loose ball 40 metres out and putting Kell away before scooping the return pass off the floor and setting up Lewis. From ten metres the No 8 side-stepped the last defender to score.

The final score came when a lobbed pass was intercepted by replacement centre Lee Davis, who was high tackled, and Kell landed the simple penalty.

With back row man Matt Holmes and winger James Hamer joining the casualties, Mowden were again down to the bare bones and gambled by switching Iain Dixon to centre, with Michael Georgiou at full back.

They dominated for the first 15 minutes at Rugby and moved the ball around well without looking like breaking down a solid defence.

They led through a Dixon penalty, but then came under pressure and the home scrum half nipped over for a converted try from a scrum.

Further pressure after Rugby drove a line-out 25 metres saw Mowden concede four penalties in quick succession and lock Ian Robinson was sin-binned.

While he was off Rugby scored again to lead 12-3 at half-time.

Mowden threw away two glorious chances when Fosita Tanginoa failed to give a scoring pass before Georgiou knocked on with the line at his mercy.

In a scrappy second half in heavy conditions Mowden were under increasing pressure up front and conceded penalties after 63 and 78 minutes.