DARLINGTON Mowden Park will be seeking their tenth successive win at home to Wharfedale tomorrow following the 45-29 thriller against Ampthill at the Northern Echo Arena last Saturday.

Mowden have lost all three National One meetings with Wharfedale so far, and will not take them lightly this time as they are battling desperately to avoid relegation.

The Grassington club's 26-17 win against Henley last week lifted them into fourth-bottom spot and was only their second home win, the other being the 45-21 victory against Mowden on October 10.

It looks very much as though the battle to avoid the third relegation spot is between Wharfedale and Blaydon and, as both could be considered derby rivals, Mowden will not want to see either go down.

But there will be no letting up as they try to climb into the top four, and they proved the strength of the squad against Ampthill.

The winning run started with a settled side, but Tom Jubb and Ali Bone were absent from the pack, plus Bruno Bravo, Garry Law and Chris Auld from the backs.

Matt Walsh again proved a very capable deputy for Bravo at scrum half and South African Seb Ferreira, dual-registered with Newcastle Falcons, was an effective stand-in for Jubb.

Bone's absence allowed Simon Uzokwe to start at blind side and bag a brace to take his tally of tries to 11.

The other South African, fly half Warren Seals, gave an extremely assured all-round display which included landing five of the seven conversions.

With four Tongan internationals in their squad, including two front row men, Ampthill gave Mowden a tough time in the scrums. But, just as in their play-off defeat two years ago, they were reminded that not all matches are won up front.

After taking a 3-0 lead, the visitors must have wondered what had hit them as Mowden ran in five tries in a blistering 15-minute spell to lead 33-3 after 28 minutes.

Looking dangerous whenever they had the ball, Mowden scored four of those tries from moves beginning inside their own half. But they got a little carried away and, when mistakes crept in, the Ampthill pack seized their chance to take control.

They looked likely winners when the gap was down to 33-29 with 26 minutes left. But, having suffered a stream of penalties, Mowden suddenly had one awarded in their favour and the excellent touch kick by Seals put them back on the front foot.

Mowden capitalised with their sixth try, a visiting player illegally took an opponent out at the restart and his yellow card ended Ampthill's fightback.

Five minutes later, they also had a player sent off for foul play in a ruck and Mowden sent on Argentinian hooker Gaston Demergasso for his debut and home product Joe Craggs, who scampered into the left corner for the seventh and final try.

The earlier spree was sparked by a brilliant, side-stepping run from left winger Jake Henry.

It stemmed from turnover ball on the right and ended with Henry slipping a scoring pass to Rob Conquest for the lock to grab his fifth try in three games.

Seals launched attacks with a perfect pass then a delicate chip for the next two tries. Full back Jamie Barnard beat the last marker on the outside to score and Ferreira slipped a backhand pass for Uzokwe to gallop up the left touchline for the third.

Ferreira went under the posts following a powerful burst by hooker Santiago Socino, then Uzokwe finished a superbly-controlled catch-and-drive.

The line-out drive was Ampthill's main weapon as two tries in five minutes got the half-time deficit down to 33-15.

Two more followed and, after being penalised at three successive scrums, Mowden sent on Ralph Appleby for tight head Ignas Darkintis.

Another penalty went against them before the next scrum went down and the penalty was awarded to Mowden.

It changed the game and the 1,100 fans were able to breathe more easily when industrious No 8 Ollie Hodgson took an inside pass to go under the posts from close range. Craggs' late try provided a fitting finale.

Middlesbrough remain five points behind Durham and Northumberland One leaders Durham City after a 29-6 win at home to Ryton.

Boro scored after two minutes when Conner Foley took a quick tap and, after a couple of quick rucks, Rob Bellerby cut through to send Ben Wood over for the first of his brace.

Sam Gaudie converted his own interception try and was also on target after Wood's second, making it 19-0 at the interval.

The bonus point try followed an excellent clearance kick. The chase by Charlie Bircham took Boro into the 22 and, after hammering at the line, Liam Wilson burrowed over.

The final try came when an attempted kick behind the defence was charged down by Rob Bellerby, who raced 70 metres to score.

Stockton had only three penalties by Jeremy Good to show for their battling efforts at Horden, where they lost 15-9.

The Darlington forwards provided some cause for optimism at home to Gateshead, but they slipped to their 15th straight defeat, by 45-19, and are 12 points adrift at the foot of the table.

They visit Acklam tomorrow, while Stockton entertain Boro.