VICTORY in their last two games at home to Liverpool St Helens and away to relegated Hull Ionians will see Mowden Park finish fifth in National Three North.

That's the same as last season, but it's a tougher division now and this time they are going out on a high instead of last April's whimper.

Tongan duo Vaha Faleovalu and Paino Kelekolio scored the tries which helped Mowden avenge last week's defeat at Halifax.

In the best game at Yiewsley Drive this season Vaha was the match-winner with two interception tries and he also set up Paino's.

There was some talk that Mowden might be better off using one of their overseas slots to strengthen their backs next season, but it now seems unthinkable to split up the Tongans.

The only blot on a dynamic performance was that there is still a need for midfield creativity, but with Kevan Oliphant and Jonny Golightly back next season the toughest decision will be where to play Iain Dixon.

He has developed into an exciting, counter-attacking full back, where Mark Bedworth was excelling until injuries forced him to play at fly half.

Bedworth has become an excellent all-round kicker. He converted the three tries, landed three penalties, hit a post with a sweet 35-metre drop goal and pinned Halifax back in the corners late in the game.

But the real strength was up front, where all eight contributed handsomely to winning the physical battle against tough opponents.

They have just about cast off their habit of going to sleep in the middle of a match, although they did allow a 13-5 interval lead to become a 19-13 deficit.

It was midway through the second half when Vaha took a decisive hand. Halifax won a line-out on halfway but as they fed the ball back the Tongan flanker intercepted and raced clear to the posts.

His second try eight minutes from time was similar, except he only had five metres to run after the visitors again got in a tangle on their own line-out ball and Vaha pinched it off the fly half.

Bedworth's first penalty put Mowden ahead after 15 minutes, but Halifax began to drive round the fringes and their pressure told when Mowden lost control of the ball at a five-metre scrum and the visiting No 8 nipped round to score.

Dixon swiftly countered, catching his own chip ahead to make 40 metres and set up the position for Bedworth's second penalty to restore the lead.

An overlap was wasted after another Dixon run, but shortly afterwards he set up a maul, Vaha drove up the left touchline and slipped the ball inside for Paino to romp 25 metres to the corner.

Halifax began to come back and should have scored when the full back looked inside instead of out and Paino's deliberate knock-on prevented a try.

Halifax scored two converted tries in the first 15 minutes of the second half.

A powerful run and clever chip by full back Graham Holroyd set up winger Jeff Morley, then another good move was finished off by a ten-metre driving maul.

Fresh legs seemed to have boosted Halifax and Mowden sent on Tasi Tuhana for Ian Keeligan, with Danny Brown switching to prop.

But they resisted further change until Vaha had changed the game. Inbetween his two tries Bedworth kicked another penalty and Halifax could find no way back.

Result: Darlington Mowden Park 30 Halifax 19.