MIDDLESBROUGH moved into third place in Yorkshire One when they came back from 24-7 down at half-time to win 26-24 at home to Scarborough.

It was a good result in view of prolific winger Rhys Kilbride being ruled out for six weeks with a broken wrist, while 17-year-old Alistair Lang made his debut at open side.

After playing into the wind, the big turning point for Boro came five minutes after half-time when quick ruck ball was moved right and hooker Ash Kearney scored in the corner.

Jack Bircham added an excellent conversion just as a Scarborough player disputed his sin-binning and saw yellow changed to red.

Prop Isa Warsama finished a forward drive for Boro’s first try, also converted by Bircham, and the third came when Conner Foley took an offload from Richard Lonsdale, side-stepped one tackle and went round another to score in the corner.

An even more spectacular run by fly half Simon O’Farrell, from his own half, earned the four-try bonus and he added the conversion to clinch victory.

Boro might have had two more tries, but Aeden Maloney was denied first by the referee blowing up for an injury then by what was adjudged to be a forward pass.

Blaydon failed to capitalise on hosts Fylde being reduced to 14 men because of a tip tackle after 50 minutes of a National One clash which they lost 42-24.

After fly half Craig Willis kicked the penalty on the way to a personal tally of 19 points, Blaydon trailed only 21-19 and must have fancied their chances against 14 men. But they lost their way in the next 20 minutes, conceding three tries before Gavin Jones finished a late catch-and-drive.

Good work by the Blaydon pack had allowed Willis to shoot over for two tries in the corner as they built a 13-7 lead, but Fylde’s high-speed offloading prevailed, coupled with an immaculate kicking display by Chris Johnson.

Blaydon acknowledged that the tip tackle which earned Ben Vernon a red card was not malicious.

The North-East teams in National Three North, Billingham and Westoe, suffered heavy defeats away to the joint leaders.

Billingham lost 43-19 at Sale FC, but there was a real thumping for Westoe in a 66-5 rout at Waterloo, who scored ten tries.

West Hartlepool claimed their first four-try bonus of the season when Gavin Robinson, a late replacement at centre, scored from an interception after 70 minutes to seal a 27-13 home win against Alnwick.

Adam Coates (ankle) and Liam Bailey (concussion) joined West’s casualty list and, facing the wind, they were under pressure for much of the first half but drew level at 8-8 just before the interval.

No 8 Sam Miller finished a forward drive, only for Alnwick to go back in front before West took command through two tries by Scott Butcher.

He finished a flowing move then capitalised when put clear by Peter Youll. Zac Southern landed a penalty and two conversions.

Also in North One East, Horden still have only one point after losing

43-10 at home to Wheatley Hills.

Stockton ended Morpeth’s 100 per cent record in Durham and Northumberland One with a 16-10 home win, hailed by coach Paul Lee as “our best performance of the season.”

He added: “Our ball retention and control was the key and our defence in the second half was superb.”

Stockton also discovered they no longer have to rely on Jeremy Good to kick their goals as one of Dan Phinn’s three penalties was from 48 metres.

He also added a good conversion after a lengthy series of forward drives from deep in their own half ended with a try for prop Tom Nelson.

That made it 13-5 at half-time after trailing to an early try, and although Morpeth fought back hard they breached the defence only once for a 66th-minute try.

Consett stepped up their impressive run with a 40-5 win at Gosforth to move into second place above Guisborough, who lost 39-17 at Durham City.

With the four sides immediately above them all winning, Darlington were unable to move out of mid-table, despite a 34-10 home win against Blyth.