TOUGH talking over the Christmas break has helped Darlington Mowden Park to surge up the National One table and they can move into the top half with a fourth successive win at home to Esher on Saturday.

It's quite a transformation after occupying the third relegation spot and coach John Newton admitted: “We had some clear-the-air sessions and since then we have really delivered and I'm confident we can kick on.

“Once our new Australian back row man, Andrew Cox, has got to know our patterns and calls we will get him involved. It will be good to have some cover in that area because we have a few injuries.”

Mowden have kept changes to a minimum in recording their first run of three wins at this level, culminating in a 33-29 victory at Macclesfield.

It should have been more comfortable against the bottom club, but with maximum points apparently in the bag Mowden shipped 12 points in the last five minutes.

They had taken an eighth minute lead when winger Lewis Johnston scored following a powerful drive by the forwards.

He would have had a second but for the referee ruling that the final pass was forward, but lock Ben Gledhill galloped over for his first try in the his third game for a 12-3 lead.

With the help of a couple of players from Sale, however, Macclesfield proved tough opponents and got back into it with a little more help from the official.

He consulted an assistant after what appeared to be a knock-on but allowed the try to stand and when the full back went down the middle to score the hosts led 17-12.

Just before half-time fly half Grant Connon scored a superb try for Mowden and added the second of his four conversions.

The game remained in the balance until midway through the second half, when the growing pressure told on Macclesfield and they picked up three yellow cards in three minutes.

After the first two, for infringements near the line, a scrum produced a penalty try for Mowden and after the conversion went over a third player went to the sin bin.

Mowden failed to take advantage but once the ten minutes had elapsed hooker Matt Thompson finished off a driving maul to grab the try which provided the decisive cushion.

After conceding tries in the 75th and 78th minutes, Mowden held out comfortably enough.

There was again no game for the second team and the difficulty of keeping players involved has seen a few jump ship.

They include young backs Jack McPhillips and Sam Gaudie, who have dropped four levels to Yorkshire One in going back to their home club, Middlesbrough.

Both scored a try in the 21-6 home win against Heath, who led 3-0 before Jack Bircham launched a counter-attack which ended with Gaudie stepping inside two tackles to score.

Five minutes later Boro attacked from their own half and forced a five-metre scrum, from which Iain Bradford sent McPhillips over.

Matthew Todd added his second conversion but had to retire with a leg injury in the second half, leaving Bircham to convert the final try, scored by Euan Tremlett from an inside pass after a good run by Adam Nolson.

It is a pity that Darlington could not have come to some arrangement to take some Mowden players on loan as they continue to struggle in fourth from bottom place in Durham and Northumberland One.

It is just as well there are three poor teams below them, including the team they visit tomorrow, Ryton, who were thrashed 74-3 at Guisborough last week.

Darlington had to field a young side at home to Gateshead and although they showed plenty of spirit they were overpowered and lost 41-17.

Stockton recorded their third successive win with two tries each for centre Joel Simpson and No 8 Chris Aldus in a 29-0 victory at Blyth.

After being under pressure for the first ten minutes, Blyth tried to attack from their own half and Simpson intercepted for the first try.

Jeremy Good converted and added a penalty for a 10-0 interval lead.

Aldus' second half brace came from catch-and-drives, while Simpson finished a good handling move and Dan Phinn added two good conversions.

Northallerton slipped to fifth in Yorkshire Three when they lost 55-0 away to Harrogate Pythons and saw key men Martin Dennison and vice-captain Lee Peake added to their lengthy casualty list.

They were already without five of the side who made a promising start to the season and now Dennison will be out for some time with a fractured wrist.

He played on for the last ten minutes of the first half with the injury after he and Will Park had led the defensive effort which restricted the hosts to two tries.

Peake departed just after the interval and the Pythons ran in five more tries, four of them converted.

The seconds had only 13 men at Acklam and lost 75-5, the one try coming from James Baker.

Northallerton are hoping for a good crowd tomorrow in the final group game in the National Cup at home to Seghill, with a quarter-final place at stake.