TWO tries by skipper Cameron Mitchell helped Darlington Mowden Park to their first win in National One, although they needed a late drop goal and penalty by fly half Garry Law to make sure.

Those kicks took the final score to 34-26 against Cinderford in front of a crowd of 970 at The Northern Echo Arena.

The visitors were subjected to an early onslaught, resulting in their fly half receiving a yellow card for killing the ball.

This led to Mowden’s opening try as the ball was flung along the line for winger Callum Mackenzie to score on the overlap.

The response was almost immediate with a similar try by the Cinderford left winger, then a clash of heads between Mitchell and Tom Kill caused a lack of numbers in the home defence and a visiting prop touched down.

The conversion put the visitors 12-5 ahead, but Mowden levelled after Law broke through from a line-out on halfway. He passed to Tom Hodgson, who checked and passed behind his back for Mitchell to waltz between the posts.

With Mowden having the upper hand in the scrums number 8 Ollie Hodgson picked up and drove over, Law again converting. But sloppy defence allowed the visiting number 8 to charge down a kick and follow up to score, leaving Mowden only two points ahead at half-time.

Mitchell again went under the posts for the bonus point try after a good break out of defence by elusive full back Henry Robinson, only for the yellow carding of lock Chris Campbell to coincide with another converted try for Cinderford.

Mowden made sure of victory as they dominated the set pieces and piled on the pressure to create the opportunities for Law.

In the battle of two unbeaten sides in Durham and Northumberland One, Stockton won 28-18 at home to Darlington after Jack Aldus scored two tries in building a 15-6 interval lead. Both came from scrums as the number 8 drove over for the first then picked up and dummied over for his second.

Jeremy Good added a conversion and a penalty then struck again from 40 metres after the break. Darlington replied with a try from a charge down, but a period of Stockton pressure resulted in an excellent passing move, well finished by Danny Phinn.

Good pierced the defence again to score the bonus point try after 75 minutes and a penalty try came too late for Darlington.

Middlesbrough suffered their second defeat in Yorkshire One after captain Rob Bellerby had to withdraw from the match at Hullensians due to a family illness and the lost 24-10.

After going 7-0 down Boro were awarded a series of penalties and Jack Bircham found the target in the 35th minute.

Hullensians then scored their second try under the posts through a powerful run through several tackles by the openside flanker, making it 14-3 at the break. Despite set-piece struggles, Boro attacked with more venom and were rewarded when Matthew Helm drove over after a series of rucks and Bircham converted. But poor defending allowed Hullensians another converted try before they got the bonus point score with 15 minutes left.

Northallerton lost 11-10 at Aireborough, where they had only two replacements due to cry-offs. This lack of fresh legs proved costly as the last kick decided the game.

Tremendous tackling throughout the side kept the hosts at bay in the first 20 minutes and North’s first foray into Aireborough’s 22 resulted from good work from stand-in fly half Fraser Deas.

Pressure from speedy winger Adam Massey forced the home full back to run into touch and after driving the line-out 15 yards Deas went over for the opening score. Jedd Bainbridge added the conversion.

It took Aireborough until five minutes into the second half to cut the deficit through a penalty, but North responded with a precise Bainbridge penalty.

On the hour, Aireborough’s dangerous inside centre slipped two tackles and set up their only try.

Soon afterwards North’s Nick Bainbridge, was sinbinned for entering a ruck on the wrong side. But they rallied and marshalled their defence to keep Aireborough out until they were awarded the match-winning penalty.

North are at home tomorrow to Yorkshire Three leaders Old Grovians, while the second team entertain Middlesbrough A after a disappointing 15- 38 home defeat to Darlington Mowden Park.