BLAYDON remain bottom of National One after slumping to a sixth successive defeat when they lost 38-33 at home to Plymouth.

Flanker Jason Smithson grabbed a hat-trick as both sides scored five tries, but while Brett Connon landed four conversions his opposite number had a 100 per cent record, which included a penalty.

As they seek a way out of their dilemma, Blaydon will have to address the problem of dual-registered players. Their home-grown prop, Andrew Foster, has seen little action and by the time Newcastle made him available Blaydon had already named their side.

Another Falcons youngster, Callum Chick, was on the bench and went on at blind side for the last 25 minutes.

As Plymouth were in the bottom half and had endured a ten-hour coach trip, this was a match Blaydon hoped to win. But visiting coach Graham Dawe, the former England hooker, quickly spotted a weakness as he shouted “up the middle” to his troops.

Plymouth scored most of their tries wide out, while winger Tom Grimes finished a break by Nathan Bailey for Blaydon's first before the rest came from forwards.

Blaydon led 14-13 when Smithson dummied his way over after 23 minutes, but poor tackling contributed to them trailing 35-21 before skipper Keith Laughlin finished a catch-and-drive. The second bonus point was secured when Smithson completed his treble in the 78th minute.

Tynedale had to settle for the four-try bonus in a 40-29 defeat at Caldy which left them third bottom of National Two North.

Falcons' young winger Dan Marshall scored a brace, as did new back row man Joe Mills as player-coach Andy Buist's first appearance of the season helped Tynedale to a 24-16 lead early in the second half. But they were outplayed in the last 20 minutes.

Billingham's hope of a third successive win in Three North were dashed by a 26-20 defeat at second-bottom Cleckheaton, who led 14-8 at half-time.

Teenage centre Adam Radwin followed his debut brace with another try for Billingham, for whom Martin Hopley and Joe Evans also scored. Peter Evans added a conversion and penalty.

Despite having Aaron Myers in the back row, West Hartlepool also had to settle for the losing bonus point in a 19-13 defeat at Alnwick, leaving them third in North One East.

They lost goal-kicker Stu Waites in the second half to a shoulder injury which could keep him out for some time, and Zac Southern was also injured.

Both sides scored one try, West's coming from 17-year-old debutant winger Joe Willis after good work by Peter Youll and Southern.

They led 7-3, but trailed 13-7 by half-time and both sides kicked two penalties in the second half.

Guisborough lost 10-8 at Pocklington but continue to look comfortable following their promotion, especially with Beverley and South Shields Westoe still floundering.

Westoe lost 37-17 at home to Percy Park, but the team just above them, Northern, gained their first win with a 26-7 home victory against Wheatley Hills.

Durham City's 56-15 home win against Darlington took them to the top of Durham and Northumberland One as previous leaders Middlesbrough lost 21-18 at Gosforth, who kicked four penalties and three drop goals.

The clinching drop goal came in the dying seconds of a match in which Boro lost fly half Andy Micklewright, himself a late replacement for Sam Gaudie, ruled out by an ankle injury.

Replacement Simon Moore kicked a penalty and converted the first of skipper Rob Bellerby's two tries as Boro overhauled a 12-0 half-time deficit. But Gosforth kicked two more penalties before landing the decisive drop goal.

Stockton remain sixth after full back Dan Phinn scored the first 18 of their points in a 23-0 home win against Hartlepool Rovers.

With both teams already depleted, Stockton lost two forwards in the warm-up, forcing them to send for prop Ben Cordiner and press coach Martin Howe into action for the full game.

They led 3-0 at half-time then Phinn converted a catch-and-drive try by Lewis Gray before Stockton opted for a scrum when the restart failed to go ten metres. Phinn came into the line and dummied through to race over, then added his second penalty before Tom Nelson scored the final try.

In division two Hartlepool and Barnard both comfortably maintained their 100 per cent records, Barney winning 40-17 at Seaton Carew.