DARLINGTON Mowden Park will be desperate to win at home to mid-table Blackheath on Saturday after slipping to within two points of the third relegation spot in National One.

They conceded four tries in the first 26 minutes at Coventry and left themselves too much to do in a second half fightback, finally losing 29-17.

Mowden were still without top goal-kicker Garry Law and prop Matt Shields, while plans to re-introduce others after injury in the Durham Second Teams Cup tie at home to Stockton were scuppered.

Like Percy Park the previous week, Stockton couldn't raise a side, underlining what is becoming a real problem in the game. With no match tomorrow, Mowden's seconds will go three weeks without a game before resuming at Horden, against whom they won 93-5 at home.

With a big squad it is difficult to keep everyone happy and highly-rated wingers Tom Kill and Chris McTurk were due to play in the seconds on Saturday, while one of the summer's first signings, Rugby League convert Ben Gledhill, was to have made his first appearance after injury.

Regular full back Henry Robinson was selected on the wing for the first team to allow Worcester Academy product Joe Nellany an outing in his favoured No 15 position.

He went closest to scoring in the first half, breaking up the left and chipping to the line, where he was adjudged to have knocked on in touching down.

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.

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

Darlington's poor away form accelerated their slide into mid-table in Durham and Northumberland One as they lost 36-10 defeat at Guisborough.

The home full back finished a fine handling move to score the first of his two tries after six minutes and although Darlington drew level they conceded two more tries to trail 19-5 at the break.

Guisborough stretched their lead with a try from a rolling maul and added a fifth before Darlington scored late on.

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 made his first appearance of the season at fly half for Stockton with 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. In a match played in fog, Jack Bircham kicked a penalty inbetween early and late ones for Selby, who missed several others.

Northallerton remain fifth in Yorkshire Three after a 24-18 win at Rotherham Phoenix. In a side showing six changes Jack Barker looked lively on his return from injury and he and Will Park created a gap for scrum half Patrick Hebblethwaite to nip over for the opening try.

Jedd Bainbridge converted but Phoenix went ahead through a converted try and long-range penalty before North's man of the match Jonny Frank went on a mazy run just before half-time. He beat two men and off-loaded to Lewis Hogg, who outpaced the full back to score in the corner.

Leading 12-10, North made a sluggish start to the second half and fell behind to a converted try after 20 minute before they rallied with hooker Jeremy Deas becoming prominent in open play.

With ten minutes left good work by Ben Merritt and Martin Court allowed Deas to dive over and an excellent conversion by Bainbridge put North one point ahead.

They sealed victory two minutes from time when Hogg raced from his own half to send Dougie Mulholland over.

North are at home to Stocksbridge tomorrow, while the seconds will visit Stockton hoping to shrug off a 31-5 home defeat by Acklam, the try coming from Mark Popejoy.

The thirds took 13 men to Acklam and battled hard in losing 38-5, with Alistair Hugill scoring their try. They will entertain Stocktonians on Saturday.