Mowden produce a sprint finish (From Darlington and Stockton Times)

Mowden produce a sprint finish

12:10pm Monday 18th March 2013 in Rugby By Tim Wellock

DARLINGTON Mowden Park left it late, but superior fitness allowed them to score 28 points in the last ten minutes for a 40-14 win at Stockport.

After arriving late because the bus was delayed, they trailed 7-5 at half-time and were 14-12 down before the late flurry brought four converted tries.

After refusing to delay the 2pm kick-off, Stockport used the slope and wind advantage to dominate the first half. But Mowden defended well and took the lead against the run of play through centre Tom Hodgson, whose attempted conversion was foiled by the ball falling off the tee.

Stockport were awarded a penalty try when a scrum went down but Mowden began to get on top after sending on three replacements early in the second half.

Andrew Tonkin went on for hooker Junior Fagalilo and had a big impact, while there was also some strong, direct running from centre Craig Dominick and ex-Sheffield player Callum McKenzie made an impressive debut on the left wing.

The two locks, Guy Van Den Dries and Chris Campbell, stayed on for the full 80 minutes, despite being involved in yesterday’s North Under 20s trial.

Forward pressure led to a try for Dominick on the hour, but with 13 minutes left Stockport scored a catch-and-drive to go back in front.

They had no answer, however, when Mowden used their pace to capitalise on an increasing amount of possession.

Fly half Grant Connon ran back a loose kick to score, then scrum half Zylon Mc- Gaffin nipped over.

In the 79th minute winger Henry Robinson gathered a Connon kick at pace and was being shepherded into the corner when he flicked the ball behind his back for Rory Duff to go over.

There was still time for Connon to add his second and he also converted all the second half tries.

Westoe’s hopes of easing their relegation worries with a third successive win were dashed by a 34-30 defeat at Hull.

In a roller-coaster game Hull led 12-0 then trailed 25-17 before forging 34-25 ahead and in the end Westoe needed centre Dan Rundle’s second try two minutes from time to earn a four-try bonus point.

Rundle’s first was a 60- metre interception and with Matt Mellish converting and adding two penalties Westoe wiped out their early deficit.

They went further ahead through another converted try by No 8 Scott Powell, making it 20-12 at half-time.

Following a Hull try, back row man Joe McKenzie scored for Westoe, but they then conceded three, the last one being a decisive 80-metre interception.

Tynedale kept their heads above the safety mark in National One by scoring ten tries in a 64-14 home win against bottom club Cambridge.

Scrum half Harry Peck and flanker Matt Charters both bagged a brace and fly half Matty Outson also touched down as well as adding five conversions before his replacement, George Cullen, landed the final two.

Skipper Hamish Smales started the spree after five minutes and the 31-0 half-time lead had been stretched beyond the 50 mark before the visitors responded.

Middlesbrough failed to draw level with Keighley, their rivals for the third relegation spot in North One East, when they lost 33-21 at home to second-placed Wheatley Hills.

Although player-coach Richard Horton was back at his best, Boro were overpowered in the scrums and the visiting No 8 scored a hat-trick.

Wheatley Hills turned a 14- 0 deficit just before half-time into a 33-14 lead before Horton scored his second try.

Jack Bircham, a late replacement for Boro after his injury, converted all three tries, the first coming after 17 minutes when Rhys Kilbride came from the opposite wing to finish a good move.

Horton was driven over from a line-out, but the tide turned decisively just before the break when scrum pressure led to a penalty try for the visitors.

There was also a pushover among the No 8’s hat-trick and injuries to two Boro props meant the last ten minutes were played with uncontested scrums.

Boro will hope to draw level with Keighley this week when they visit relegated Durham City, while the West Yorkshire club entertain leaders Beverley.

After that Boro will probably also need to win at home to Morpeth and away to Darlington in the hope of nosing ahead before the final day, when they visit Pocklington while Keighley are at Durham City.

Darlington competed well for the first half hour at Morley and were level at 7-7 through a try by Richard Snowball, converted by Mark Baldwin. But they were then over-run and lost 57-7.

• Blaydon have reached all four Durham Cup finals. The seconds beat Horden 34-3 in Saturday’s semi-final with Gavin Painter playing a starring role at fly half on his return from injury. Back row man Gavin Jones, who has been working away, also turned out and will be available for the rest of the season.

The thirds beat Ryton seconds 39-3 and the fourths won 17-6 against Gateshead.