DURHAM included four Darlington Mowden Park players in the team which lost the opening County Championship fixture 33-7 against Yorkshire at Huddersfield on Saturday.

Mowden skipper Cameron Mitchell was among those who were not available and the No 13 shirt went to Craig Dominic, who has yet to start in Mowden's first team and ended the season back at Barnard Castle.

Similarly, there was a place for hooker Tom Larder, who made a few recent bench appearances for Mowden, while powerful forwards Talite Vaioleti and Joe Maud made their county debuts.

Also making his debut for Durham was ex-Bishop Auckland prop Alec Clarey, who is now at Hartpury College.

Blaydon No 8 Gavin Jones, who formerly played for Wharfedale, dashed Durham's hopes with two tries early in the second half after they had battled hard to be level at 7-7 at half-time.

Back row replacement Josh Burridge, the Yorkshire Under 20s captain from Middlesbrough, was also among the scorers as Yorkshire forged 33-7 ahead before Durham scored in the last minute through replacement Martin Hopley, from Billingham.

Their first half try came from skipper Chris Wearmouth, the former Mowden lock now with Blaydon, and was converted by Billingham fly half Joe Evans.

The women's championship is running alongside the men's for the first time and there were six Darlington forwards, including skipper Jess Cheesman, in the Durham side which lost 20-10 to Yorkshire at the same venue.

Durham fought hard to draw level at 7-7 but Yorkshire forged 15-5 ahead before Cheesman scored six minutes from time.

Durham Women: Tara Breslin (Acklam), Ursula Hardy (Teesside Univ), Danielle Andrews, Kirsty Paterson, Karen Stubbs Donkin, Laura Envy, Sydnie Grace (Sunderland), Katie Dodgson, Kathleen Huggan Hall, Michaela Walsh, Alison Lodge (Darlington), Amanda Hilton (Sunderland), Jess Cheesman (capt, Darlington), Sashia Ryan Munden (Sunderland), Alison Bell (Darlington).

This week's double-header, when Lancashire are the opponents, is at Blaydon with the women again kicking off at 12.30. Next week's matches, against Cheshire, are at the Northern Echo Arena.

Northallerton's disappointing end to the season culminated in an 18-13 defeat by Wetherby in the Yorkshire Silver Trophy final at Hull.

North were without three key men from the previous week's defeat at Twickenham and suffered four more injuries. Skipper Joe Terry, who stayed off at half-time, later had to go back on with his knee heavily strapped after winger Jonny Frank was concussed.

The other winger, James Hopkin, dislocated a shoulder in making a big hit in the first half and lock Rob Barnard also had to retire shortly afterwards.

A 70-metre interception try helped Wetherby to a 10-0 lead and surprisingly they were on top in the scrums. But North began to fight back when Terry landed a 40-metre penalty then Jeremy Deas finished off a catch-and-drive try just before half-time.

Five minutes after the break missed tackles in midfield allowed Wetherby to score and they added their second penalty to make it 18-8.

Stalwart prop Paul Dixon finished a 15-metre rolling maul for North, who spent the last 20 minutes camped in the Wetherby 22. But poor decision-making contributed to their failure to break down a strong defence.