DARLINGTON Mowden Park's 12-match winning run faces its sternest test tomorrow, when they visit National One leaders Richmond.

They can take heart from the fact that the Londoners' last defeat, and their only one at home, was in mid-December against Hartpury College, who were beaten 36-27 at the Northern Echo Arena last Saturday.

It looked like being a bigger margin as Mowden turned an early 10-0 deficit into a 31-10 lead, but they took off influential skipper Gareth Nesbit and conceded two late tries.

Mowden's last defeat was at home to Richmond on November 7, when the visitors scored a late try to scrape home 22-21.

That match marked the debut of Mowden's South African fly half Warren Seals, who has settled down to become a highly-valued player. In the absence of the injured Garry Law, his goal-kicking made the difference against Hartpury as the try count was 5-5 in an entertaining game.

Seals has formed a potent half back partnership with Bruno Bravo, who was outplayed in the home defeat by Sam Stuart, one of three ex-Mowden players in the Richmond side, alongside Cameron Mitchell and flanker Jack Allcock.

Allcock's prolific early season try-scoring has waned, unlike that of Simon Uzokwe, who is now starting regularly at blind side for Mowden and added a brace on Saturday to take his tally to 15.

That takes him to third in the National One list, despite spending half the season making 20-minute appearances from the bench.

Originally signed as a prop, he began this season as a hooker and finished Saturday's match on the wing, highlighting the versatility of the squad.

Santiago Socino, who took over at open side from Luca Petillo, who is out for six weeks, reverted to hooker when Mowden took the chance to send on local lads Joe Craggs and Rory Duff.

The visitors from Gloucestershire quickly showed a willingness to run from anywhere and initially threatened to beat Mowden at their own game.

In between scoring the first two and last two tries, however, they were punished for every lapse by their more clinical hosts.

Mowden began their winning run through fielding a settled side, but in recent weeks have lost lock Tom Jubb, flankers Ali Bone and Petillo, plus Law.

There were more injuries on Saturday, with wingers Peter Homan and Jake Henry, plus centre Chris Auld, leaving the field.

There is depth in the squad, however, and Argentinian Gaston Demergasso impressed on his first start at hooker.

Against well-drilled opponents, Mowden conceded five penalties before Hartpury infringed. Uzokwe broke off a powerful driving maul to romp over, then Socino took a clever pass from Bravo to finish a series of pick-and-drives.

Seals added a penalty on the stroke of half-time for a 17-10 lead and, seven minutes after the break, Uzokwe showed his pace when narrowly winning a kick and chase.

A catch-and-drive finished by Nesbit made it 31-10 before Hartpury came back with three tries, interrupted only by centre Jake Woodhouse scoring Mowden's best.

Not for the first time, it involved some skilful play from Jamie Barnard, who began at full back before moving to the left wing.

He took a switch pass from replacement Matt Walsh on halfway and found Uzokwe on a burst which took him to the 22 before sending Woodhouse over.

That was the only try Seals failed to convert, while Hartpury's kicker missed a simple penalty and all the conversions until they scored a length-of-the-field try in the last move of the game.

Top versus bottom in Durham and Northumberland One saw Durham City score 15 tries in winning 91-5 at Darlington.

Centre Bradley Pears, the son of former Middlesbrough goalkeeper Stephen Pears, scored five. Andy Robinson touched down for Darlington, who trailed 48-5 at half-time.

Middlesbrough stayed five points behind City with a 36-5 home win against Gosforth.

Boro couldn't retain the ball early on, but were saved by their defence and discipline around the breakdown.

On their first visit into Gosforth’s 22, No 8 Toby Tremlett picked up from a scrum and dummied his way over on the blind side.

Sam Gaudie found Matthew Todd, running a penetrating line from full back, for the second try and, on the stroke of half-time, Conner Foley made a break then chipped over the final defender and won the race for a great solo try.

Five minutes after half-time, James Pennington scored the bonus point try from a line-out and skipper Rob Bellerby was involved in Boro's last two.

He set up Todd for his second before giving a pass to winger Rhys Kilbride, who swerved past his opposite winger and stepped the full-back, allowing Gaudie to add his third conversion.

Stockton completed a double over Hartlepool Rovers by edging to a 22-21 away win. Rovers replied to an early 60-metre try by Stockton full back Jonny Horner to lead 11-7 at half-time.

The lead kept changing hands as Mark Conway and Steve Thornton scored for Stockton, Jeremy Good adding his second conversion before kicking a penalty for a 22-16 lead.

Rovers scored deep into injury time, but failed with what would have been a match-winning conversion.