Differing fates await Mowden and Tynedale

WHILE Mowden Park bed in their new signings and look ahead with confidence to a second season in National One, Tynedale look doomed to suffer their first relegation.

They defended stoically to keep the half-time score to 3-3, but there was none of their old sparkle and their 13th successive defeat was assured long before they scored a last-minute converted try.

Mowden appear to have lost hooker Matt Thompson, who is believed to have been approached by Ealing, and after prop Matt Shields' move to Harlequins they have been swift to draft in front row replacements.

Two burly boys went on from the bench in Darren Fearn, the Scarborough-born former Newcastle Falcons prop, and Lithuanian international Ignas Darkintis. Both are on loan, the 20st Fearn from Sale and Darkintis from Ealing.

The other newcomer, scrum half Sam Stuart, is a permanent signing from Harlequins, where he had slipped to fourth choice after suffering three knee ligament injuries in three years.

Mowden were flat in the first half, but emerged with the four-try bonus point as Tynedale displayed their penchant for second half decline.

On fielding the restart after the interval the visitors hoofed it fairly aimlessly, allowing Mowden to run it back. It took one pass to put fly half Grant Connon in space and he skilfully glided over from halfway.

He and his brother, Brett, had traded penalties in the first half, the younger one striking the ball very sweetly from 35-metres.

He also struck his conversion attempt well, only to hit an upright, when skipper Andy Buist quickly replied to Mowden's opening try by finishing a catch-and-drive.

Buist and Glen Young, who has clearly come on since appearing for Mowden early last season, gave Tynedale the edge at the line-out, but they had little to offer in attack.

They also made too many errors, as in dropping the restart after Buist's try. It gave Mowden a strong attacking position and they moved the ball out for full back Henry Robinson to send winger Ben Rath over in the right corner.

Brett Connon's second penalty cut the gap to four points before Mowden finally seized control as lock Ben Gledhill began to make his athletic presence felt in open play.

Having shed his scrum cap, he often appeared in midfield and after his surge up the left a brilliant, flicked pass by Garry Law was taken at pace by fellow centre Cameron Mitchell, who shot over from ten metres.

The bonus point try came when Gledhill again appeared wide on the left and his deft pass gave winger Tom Kill the chance to show impressive acceleration. He zipped outside his marker to score from 25 metres, replacement Tom Hodgson adding a fine conversion.

Mowden had been below par for much of the match but were out of sight at 27-11 and it was scant consolation for Tynedale when full back Gavin Beasley slipped a neat scoring pass to flanker Dan Temm in the final act of the game.

Having been ten points behind Tynedale when they visited Corbridge in October, Mowden are now 26 ahead of them. Tynedale are nine points adrift of safety and on this evidence there will be no repeat of last season's great escape.