DURHAM City underlined the strength of their revival with a 46-13 win at Consett in the first round of the Powergen Intermediate Cup.

For much of last season Consett were one of their rivals for promotion from Durham and Northumberland Division One and are still an ambitious club.

But despite having a big pack, the hosts could not establish any control and were 32-3 down before they scored off the back of a scrum then added a penalty with 20 minutes left.

City were far sharper in the backs and scored six tries with winger James Walker scoring two for the second successive week and adding five conversions and two penalties.

The match ended with the other winger, Toro Higuchi, scoring on his final appearance before leaving for London.

City opened the scoring in the second minute when skipper Jeff Roberts was driven over, then an overlap was created for Walker to race over. It was 22-3 at half-time after the ball was spun left for blind side flanker Howard Johnson to touch down.

After an early second half penalty Walker scored from five metres on the blind side of a scrum, then after another five-metre scrum centre Richard Knowles burst under the posts.

With the ball being thrown around towards the end, it went to ground at one point but Higuchi picked up to race over from 15 metres.

Middlesbrough won their tie 36-7 at Billingham, who battled hard to overcome the gap of two divisions with their young fly half Joe Evans scoring an excellent try from his own high kick.

There were two tries each for Boro backs Lee Richardson and Andy Micklewright, the others coming from lock Chris Palesci and winger Danny Poole. Simon Moore converted two and Dave Richardson one.

For the second successive week a penalty by Gareth Foreman clinched a narrow win for Hartlepool Rovers, who edged through 18-17 at Northern.

Tries by Jason White and Darren Smith either side of a converted try by Northern's Rob Thompson gave Rovers a 10-7 interval lead.

The lead continued to change hands as James Marwick scored twice for Northern with Rovers' Ian Drummond touching down inbetween. But Foreman had the last word.

West Hartlepool won 36-19 at Gateshead with centre Allan Milne scoring two tries. It needed his second late in the game to settle nerves after a 24-7 interval lead was reduced to 24-19.

West then added their sixth try through Danny Weegram to confirm the comfortable win which looked likely until prop Andrew Fairless scored for Gateshad then Lewis Carr added a 60-metre interception try.

Milne opened the scoring for West, Phil Wallis adding a good conversion, but then a dropped pass was hacked on for Gateshead's Nicholas Condon to touch down, full back David Kell converting.

West took charge in the second quarter. Anth Carr finished off a driving maul, Jonny Boatman rode Kell's tackle to score from 40 metres and scrum half Paul Williamson dummied over.

As usual, it didn't take long for walkovers to kick in, with Redcar unable to raise a front row for their match at Malton and Norton, while Upper Eden opted out of their visit to Horden.

Westoe reached the third round of the Powergen National Trophy with a 27-13 win at home to Beverley, while Morpeth went out 46-12 at Chester.

The National Three North clubs now come into the competition and the draw will be made today.