DARLINGTON Mowden Park paid the penalty for a slow start at Coventry, where they conceded four tries in the first 26 minutes and left themselves too much to do in a second half fightback.

After trailing 29-3 at the interval they lost 29-17 and need to win at home to Blackheath this week as they are now only two points above third-bottom Old Albanians, who recorded their second consecutive win.

The fact that Mowden scored 14 unanswered points in the second half again confirmed that they can compete with the best, but fourth-placed Coventry's slick start gave them their seventh successive win.

They scored a converted try after four minutes, but a Tom Hodgson penalty kept Mowden afloat until they conceded three tries between the 17th and 26th minutes.

The fly half, full back and former Tynedale winger Dan Rundle all crossed before a back row man drove over with Mowden flanker Jack Allcock in the sin bin.

Three conversions and a penalty completed Coventry's tally before they found themselves under mounting pressure and received three yellow cards in the second half.

Winger Henry Robinson scored after 55 minutes for Mowden and prop Ralph Appleby after 69, Hodgson adding the conversions.

Tynedale also fought back at Ealing, although the hosts could afford to ease off after scoring eight tries in building a 52-14 half-time lead.

The try fest continued on the synthetic surface, producing 17 in total, as Ealing won 64-43. There was a hat-trick for home winger Phil Chesters, taking him one ahead of Tynedale's Ben Frankland as the league's leading try scorer.

Winger Sepp Visser showed his class in scoring for Tynedale after one minute and they led for a second time when Newcastle flanker Dan Temm scored.

But from the 19th to the 38th minutes Ealing crossed seven times.

Tynedale's second half replies came from winger Adam King (2), Frankland and replacement prop Alex Westgarth, plus a penalty try.

Although Billingham remain sixth in National Three North, they lost ground on the top five when they were beaten 18-17 at home by Rossendale.

With fly half Joe the only member of the four Evans brothers in the line-up, Billingham handed the kicking duties to Luke Wilson. He converted tries by Chris Hopkinson and Will Turnbull and added a penalty, but Rossendale's three tries clinched it.

The alarm bells are ringing for Westoe after conceding eight tries in a

56-18 home defeat by Wirral, the team they needed to overtake to get out of second bottom place.

Despite having to bring ex-flanker Jonny Boatman out of retirement to play at inside centre, West Hartlepool won 15-5 at Pocklington, who were third in North One East.

West dominated the scrums against a side coached by their No 8 from Premiership days, Mick Watson, and the rewards came largely through fly half Zac Southern.

After kicking a long-range penalty he made a break to link with Peter Youll, whose long pass sent Sam Miller over for an 8-0 half-time lead.

Southern's neat chip led to the pressure which saw two players held up over the line before the fly half nipped over and converted.

Pocklington replied with a late try.

Consett's eye-catching form in Durham and Northumberland One continued with a 77-10 win at Blyth, keeping them in second place behind Morpeth, who won 50-12 at home to Sunderland.

Darlington's slide down the table continued with a 36-10 defeat at Guisborough, but Stockton remain fourth after a 28-27 win at Novos, for whom a failed conversion proved to be the last kick of the game.

Coach Paul Lee, nearer 50 than 40, made his first appearance of the season at fly half for Stockton with the relatively youthful Jeremy Good at inside centre and teenager Matty Routh making his debut on the wing.

They had the edge up front and led twice in the first half through tries by prop Tom Nelson and centre Steve Tampin, but trailed 12-10 at the break.

Good scored on the resumption, Danny Phinn converting before adding two penalties either side of a converted try and penalty for Novos.

A break by replacement winger Simon Crozier created a try for full back Andy Bare to put Stockton 28-22 ahead going into injury time, and it proved just enough.

Middlesbrough's hopes of keeping pressure on the top two in Yorkshire One were dented by a 6-3 defeat at Selby.