Shocks aplenty as form goes out of the window

Blaydon lost 31-18 away to struggling Birmingham and Solihull, Tynedale followed two successive home defeats by winning at Macclesfield, and Westoe's promotion challenge in Two North faltered with a home defeat by Stockport.

The biggest shock was the ease of Tynedale's 29-5 win away to the early season National One leaders.

Traditionally much stronger at home, the Corbridge men shrugged off their recent lapses after bringing Grant Beasley and the powerful Myles Scott into the back row.

Sam Shires completed the trio and scored two of the five second half tries which overturned a 5-0 deficit as they capitalised on Macclesfield receiving three yellow cards.

Tynedale scored four tries in 16 minutes, with winger Alan Rogers also grabbing a brace, while replacement fly half Joel Hodgson also touched down.

It is doubtful whether either Hodgson or Tom Catterick will be released this week as Newcastle embark on their LV= Cup programme.

Resting Andrew Baggett to allow Catterick to play at fly half did not work for Blaydon as it was the home half backs who controlled the game for the Midlanders, who are coached by Stockton product Russell Earnshaw.

While Catterick put in some big kicks, they were not chased effectively and allowing Birmingham to run back at them cost Blaydon two tries.

Their pack dominated the first 20 minutes and they led 8-3 after a penalty by Gavin Painter and a 20-metre catch-and-drive try by flanker Rob Bell.

But two converted tries gave the hosts a 17-8 interval lead and they withstood 15 minutes of relentless pressure on the resumption before breaking out to score again.

Blaydon's forward pressure produced a try for lock Chris Wearmouth and when Catterick landed a 35-metre drop goal the gap was down to six points with six minutes left. But Birmingham sealed it with full back Jon Lowden's second try.

Westoe lost 26-20 to Stocktport but remain fourth in a division in which Loughborough Students are starting to pull away while six or seven clubs look like competing for second place.

The big turning point for Westoe was the 57th-minute dismissal of No 8 Oliver Steadman for retaliation when they were leading 15-12.

He had kicked a penalty and converted one of the two tries, scored by centre Tommy Banks and full back Ryan Beattie, but on his exit Stockport forged ahead. Flanker Ben Franklin scored the late try which earned Westoe a bonus point.

Darlington Mowden Park consolidated second place in Three North with a 34-16 win at Burnage, having trailed 8-6 at half-time.

It wasn't so much the artificial surface to which Mowden took time to adjust as the narrowness of the pitch, which hampered their attempts to get the ball wide.

The hosts played a ten-man game and after Grant Connon had kicked two penalties they came back with a penalty and a catch-and-drive try.

Mowden changed their tactics by driving up the middle with flankers Luke Wishnowsky and Liam Riley equally effective.

They were quickly on top after the break, with lock Neil Young driving over the top of a ruck to score under the posts.

The forwards drove on again from the restart before the ball was moved out for winger Chris McTurk to score the first of his two tries.

A Burnage penalty was followed by Mowden misjudging a high ball, which bounced kindly for a home lock to race on to and score, making it 20-16.

But the home pack tired and Mowden pulled away when Wishnowsky picked up and ran through before No 8 James Knox touched down. McTurk grabbed his second near the end, with Connon adding his fourth conversion.

West Hartlepool slipped into mid-table when they lost 5-0 at home to Lymm. Persistent light rain resulted in a slippery ball which neither side could hang on to and West were guilty of trying to play too expansively.

Lymm preferred to kick for position and a spilt catch set up the position for the only try after 24 minutes.

The gaps between divisions are being emphasised by relegated Billingham and Middlesbrough occupying the top two spots in North One East, while promoted Gateshead are bottom.

Billingham scored six tries in winning 32-11 at home to Cleckheaton and Boro overcame the absence of key men by winning 31-10 at Old Crossleyans.

Making his first start on the right wing, Josh Evans twice intercepted 20 metres out to score for Boro, while forward dominance led to the other three tries.

Scrum half Peter Wright nipped over for the first after ten minutes, but Boro trailed 10-7 until Evans put them back in front just before half-time.

A penalty try was awarded when Boro were going for a pushover and a home forward kicked the ball out of the scrum, then Richard Horton finished off a forward drive. Wright took on the kicking duties and added three conversions.

Unbeaten Durham and Northumberland One leaders Stockton won 32-21 at Ashington, despite three late cry-offs. They were also handicapped by Jeremy Good being unable to kick as they converted only one of the six tries and turned down numerous chances to kick penalties.

There were two tries each for winger Dan Phinn and No 8 Scott Powell, the others coming from lock Todd Highfield and winger Simon Crozier.