DARLINGTON Mowden Park will be determined to get back on track at home to Blackheath tomorrow after their 12-match winning run ended in a 14-7 defeat away to National One leaders Richmond last Saturday.

Blackheath, who lie third, will not relish a return to the Northern Echo Arena, where they conceded 50 points last season. But they have obviously strengthened since.

Mowden proved at Richmond that they can compete with the best at this level. Against a bigger front five, they were second best in the scrums and were under pressure for much of the first half, trailing 14-0.

But they came on strongly towards the end and might have had more than their 75th-minute try, scored by centre Tomas Appleton.

Selected in place of the injured Chris Auld, he had already crossed the line once, only for the referee to rule that he hadn't got the ball down.

Then another scoring chance was ruined by what looked a deliberate knock-on by a Richmond player, for which the expected yellow card was not given.

Both teams defended well in difficult conditions, with flankers Santi Socino and Simon Uzokwe putting in some big hits for Mowden, while there was also a thunderous try-saving tackle from winger Jake Henry.

Richmond's two converted tries came in quick succession around the half-hour mark, the first resulting from Warren Seals' attempted clearance into the wind striking one of his own players, who then played the ball in an offside position.

Richmond took the penalty quickly and scored by the posts, then they regained the ball from a ruck on the re-start.

Scrum half Sam Stuart, who spent the second half of last season with Mowden, put up a kick in the swirling wind and the home fly half grabbed the ball to score.

Although Mowden fought back strongly, their only reward came when Appleton received quick ball from a penalty. He was tackled into a post, but touched down for Seals to convert.

Richmond hung on and Mowden had to be content with a losing bonus point. They remain seventh, but will still fancy their chances of climbing to fourth by the end of the season if they win tomorrow's rearranged game.

Darlington's 54-3 home defeat by Consett left them only 10 points short of becoming the first club in the country to concede 1,000 this season in league rugby.

Their best chance of winning a match comes tomorrow at home to Ponteland, who are next to the bottom, but continued their fight for survival with a 24-23 win at Ryton.

They still look likely to be leapfrogged by Barnard Castle, whose 14-3 home win against Rockcliff set them up for tomorrow's rearranged match away to promotion rivals Hartlepool, who are a point ahead, but have played two games more.

Middlesbrough had to battle for a 22-16 win at Gateshead, keeping them within sight of division one leaders Durham City.

Stockton, three points ahead entering the final stages, fell back on forward power to seal a 33-19 home win against Medicals.

Jeremy Good sliced through for the final, bonus point try to take his tally to 18 as he also landed three penalties and two conversions.

Todd Highfield, Steve Thornton and Phil Douglas scored the other tries, while two interceptions and a long-range try following a loose Stockton pass kept Medicals in the game.