Darlington produced what player-coach Craig Lee described as their best 40 minutes of rugby during his time with the club, but were unable to sustain it at home to National Three North leaders Nuneaton.

A 10-3 half-time lead became a 16-10 defeat against a side bolstered by two former England players, full back Tim Stimpson and prop Darren Garforth, making their debuts.

Stimpson, the former Newcastle and West Hartlepool player who began the season with Leeds, has joined Nuneaton as player-coach.

Lee, who played with Stimpson at West, said: "He's looking to take them places, but this was his first match for ten weeks and he looked a bit rusty.

"Garforth just moaned all the time and Joe Oselton held his own against him.

"We played total rugby in the first half, but perhaps we patted ourselves on the back a bit too much and we didn't have any opportunities in the second half.

"We didn't put them under pressure like we had in the first half and gave the ball straight back to them. We are disappointed.

"A few decisions went against us, but we have had this referee three times and should know how to play to him."

Stimpson was outshone by his opposite number Lee Davies, who is improving with every game at full back, while Richard Snowball and Martin Howe were outstanding up front.

Nuneaton kept faith with their usual kicker Gareth Cull, rather than hand the job to Stimpson, and he put them ahead after five minutes then landed two more penalties early in the second half.

Stimpson set up the decisive try after 74 minutes when he ran the ball back after a poor kick out of defence and sent a winger under the posts.

Davies had no chances at goal other than in trying to convert Darlington's tries after nine and 34 minutes. Both resulted from several good phases of play, the first being finished by centre Apenai Kororua and the second by winger Frankie Coulson - his 12th of the season.

Blaydon beat Darlington Mowden Park for the third time this season, winning 27-10 at Crow Trees with new winger Andrew Fenby scoring twice for the second time in his three games.

A Northumbria University student who is a top squash player, Blaydon pitched him in after one training session and he again showed his pace and power.

Blaydon's expected edge at centre was snuffed out by good defence from Tim Visser and Roddy Gouionnet, but Mowden had to rely on scrum half Andy Foreman for most of their attacking threat.

He played well against one of his former clubs, scoring one try and having a big hand in the other.

Although the move was started and finished by flanker Eni Gisende, Foreman made a lot of ground inbetween as Mowden took an early lead.

But they trailed 17-5 at half-time and Blaydon added their third try before Foreman broke away to beat two men and score from 20 metres after 52 minutes.

Despite having flanker Andrew Tonkin sin-binned for a high tackle, Mowden raised their game but 20 minutes of pressure failed to bring further reward.

Blaydon earned the four-try bonus when Fenby was put clear on halfway and he chipped inside the full back and won the race to score his second try.

His first was a fine individual effort from 20 metres, when he beat two men and took two more over with him.

Forward superiority brought Blaydon's first half tries through fly half Richard Windle and lock Paul Clark, who was driven over after a penalty to the corner.

Windle also kicked a penalty and two conversions, one of them from the touchline, to take his points tally for this month to 66.

Tynedale moved above Darlington into fifth place, despite managing only three tries in a 25-3 win at home to Kendal, who never gave up despite being without a point this season.

Middlesbrough played well and trailed by only one point until hosts Hull scored a converted try at the death for a 25-17 win in North One.

Boro skipper Iain Bradford was unable to travel, but with prop Craig Chapman outstanding they might have won but for a controversial try.

It came immediately after Hull's first try on 20 minutes and stemmed from Simon Moore being felled by a high tackle. With Boro expecting a penalty, Hull hacked on to score, and although he kicked two penalties grogginess forced Moore to retire shortly after half-time.

Dave Richardson, who landed a drop goal to keep the interval deficit down to 15-9, took over the kicking and kicked a penalty to cut the gap to three points.

Hull replied with a penalty before Boro drove hooker Richard Horton over from a line-out 15 metres out to set up the tense finish.

Westoe, who had climbed into third place, had four key men missing for the trip to Chester, where they lost 50-12.

Durham City remain third in North Two East after a 25-6 win at home to Sheffield, who battled hard after being 20-3 down at the interval.

Winger James Walker scored 15 points, starting with two penalties before converting both first half tries.

Flanker Howard Johnson was driven over from a line-out and centre Richard Stanley beat several tacklers with a weaving run from halfway.

Walker ran in from 45 metres for City's only score of the second half after Darren McKinnon had intercepted on his own 22.

West Hartlepool lost 24-14 away to leaders Beverley, where they fought back well after being reduced to 14 men and going 21-6 down early in the second half.

In a physical match Anth Carr was sent off after 30 minutes, allegedly for gouging, with a home centre again involved in the incident shortly after a dust-up with Andrew Davies. An earlier scrap saw Tim Sawyer and a home forward sent to the sin-bin.

Prior to the troubles two penalties by Paul Moss had put West 6-5 ahead, but it was not until they were 21-6 down that they got back on top. Moss kicked his third penalty and a try by winger Chris Lambert gave them hope until a speculative drop goal scraped over for Beverley.

Stockton ran out of steam in the last 15 minutes at home to Driffield and saw a 20-13 lead become a 33-20 defeat.

With fly half Jeremy Good nursing a thigh strain which prevented him from kicking, Stockton were unable to convert any of their four tries and also missed an easy penalty when they were 6-0 down.

But they got on top after 25 minutes and after a break by Good young No 8 Sam Toulson scored.

Two minutes after the interval Driffield took advantage of missed tackles to score from halfway, but Stockton dominated the next 20 minutes.

From a free-kick 30 metres out the forwards drove on for Mark Skirving to touch down and he scored again when they opted for a scrum when awarded a penalty five metres from the line.

With the pack well on top, Good made another well-supported break and skipper Brett Wildridge scored.

Driffield came back with four unconverted tries in the last 15 minutes, one of them stemming from a length-of-the-field move after a Stockton attack broke down. The last try was also a long-range effort.

Hartlepool Rovers came back from 22-6 down early in the second half to win 33-22 at Sandal, scoring four tries.

Blyth recorded what is believed to be the highest score in the Durham and Northumberland Leagues when they won their division three match 170-0 at home to a young Hartlepool Athletic side still seeking their first point of the season.

Blyth scored 24 tries and fly half Greg Dawson had a personal tally of 65 points from three tries, 22 conversions, a penalty and a drop goal.

* Darlington held a minute's silence for club stalwart Andrew Morgan, who has died after a long battle against illness.