DARLINGTON Mowden Park attracted easi1y the biggest crowd in National One when 1,495 turned up to watch the 24-12 defeat by Rosslyn Park on Saturday.

Although the match produced a good deal of high quality rugby, the second-placed visitors were too strong and well-drilled for Mowden, who were not allowed to perform at their best.

The defeat saw them slip three points behind Blaydon in mid-table and they will not want the gap to grow before visiting the Tynesiders for the final match on April 25.

There is no game this week then comes a trip to Loughborough Students followed by the final home match against Old Albanians.

Mowden will hope the week off allows some injuries to heal as hooker Charlie Maddison and fly half Grant Connon limped off and they didn't have a fit replacement prop.

Darren Fearn, the prop on loan from Sale, was on the bench but he had been injured in training and wasn't risked, despite the visitors enjoying a big advantage in the tight.

Mowden battled gamely and had the edge in the last half hour, during which Connon scored the only try but pulled a hamstring in the process.

There must also be doubts about whether Talite Vaioleti will be fit enough to play any further part. With Ben Gledhill suspended and Guy van den Dries unavailable, he was selected at lock but as in his previous appearance, which was only his second of the season, he failed to complete the first half.

He was replaced by Joe Maud, who added some necessary muscle at blind side while George Hedgley moved up to the second row.

These young forwards, along with No 8 Ollie Hodgson, back after injury, and flanker Jack Allcock showed they are already good enough to compete in this company, and they can only improve.

Rosslyn Park proved a very efficient all-round side and mounted a few long-range attacks, but their four tries all came from close range, two of them following penalties to the corner.

The first was initially awarded in the second minute, although the referee allowed play to continue for more than a minute before bringing it back for the visitors to take the kick and score from the line-out.

Mowden were under pressure until a neat pass from scrum half Sam Stuart allowed skipper Cameron Mitchell to make a good break. They kept recycling the ball near the line until Connon offloaded in the tackle for winger Tom Kill to go under the posts.

Garry Law converted but Mowden's lead was shortlived as the visitors added two tries to lead 17-7 at half-time.

Hodgson and Maud were prominent as another catch-and-drive was halted shortly after half-time, but Rosslyn Park kept the pressure on and added another converted try.

Mowden roused themselves and their second try came after full back Henry Robinson wriggled out of a tackle to race into the 22. When the ball came back Connon switched to the narrow side and also spun out of a tackle to go over, immediately clutching his hamstring.

Tom Hodgson replaced him and George Wacokecoke went on at the same time. Mowden are keen to look at the on-loan Bath Academy winger, but he had little chance to show his paces.

Darlington ended their woeful run with a 20-17 home win against Medicals, but remain third from the bottom in Durham and Northumberland One.

Visiting winger Dave Swetman scored a hat-trick, starting in the first minute with his side facing the strong wind. But Darlington came back with three tries between the tenth and 25th minutes, adding a conversion for a 17-5 interval lead.

After Swetman's second, Darlington were given vital breathing space by a 72nd minute penalty and held out until a converted try a minute from time completed the scoring.

Middlesbrough, with hookers Aaron Lawson and Ash Kearney in the back row, struggled to a 10-5 home win against Yarnbury in Yorkshire One.

The visitors scored a third-minute try through a catch-and-drive but despite having the edge in possession they were kept at bay by a tight defence.

Boro quickly drew level when a well-worked move was finished by Jack Bircham and the winning try came midway through the second half through winger Connor Foley.

With no league games over Easter, Northallerton hold centre stage tomorrow with their National Junior Vase semi-final away to Rugby Lions.

To book a trip to Twickenham they have to beat a former Premiership club who had to start again at the bottom of the league structure after going into liquidation three years ago in their 139th season.

Beaten finalists in the Vase last year, Rugby clinched promotion from Midlands Four West last week with an 88-10 home win against Coventrians.

Ahead of their trip to the famous Webb Ellis Road ground, Northallerton are hoping influential scrum half Pat Hebblethwaite recovers from injury, along with Jeremy Deas and Jack Radcliffe.

All were hurt in last week's 20-10 home defeat by Thornensians, who are third in Yorkshire Three.

With the strong wind behind them, the visitors made a lively start and scored three tries in the first 15 minutes.

They had the sharper backs, so North's well-drilled forwards began to keep it tight and after 20 minutes Hebblethwaite produced a sniping run from a maul to score his fourth try in three games.

On a day when no kick succeeded his conversion was just short.

North dominated the rest of the half but Fraser Deas and Rob Greene were both held up over the line and they were also thwarted by good defence.

The visitors scored a well-workd try through their backs five minutes after half-time and North's only reply was a try by Ian Swall after good work by Jeremy Deas and Paul Dixon.

A mixed second and third team won 34-19 at home to Middlesbrough with Dave Anderson and Chris Hustler scoring two tries each. Paul Dennison also touched down and Peter Barraclough scored his first try for the club. Martin Court added two conversions.