Darlington Mowden Park 17 Plymouth Albion 24

THE demands of a run of games against the top sides in a long, hard season finally caught up with Mowden as the Plymouth pack dominated Saturday's second half.

A hat-trick by No 8 Herbie Stupple helped the visitors to overhaul a 17-10 deficit shortly after half-time to avenge November's home defeat.

This was Mowden's fourth successive game against a top five side in National One, during which their fluency has been staunched by tight defences and their own enforced changes in personnel.

Their lack of a solid platform wasn't helped by the late withdrawal of skipper Gareth Nesbit with a neck problem. There had also been a slight doubt about lock Rob Conquest, who took over the captaincy but had to be replaced with 20 minutes left, as did hooker Santiago Socino.

It meant that a pack who had fought hard to get on terms following early scrum difficulties lacked the cohesion to snatch back the initiative once they fell behind with 13 minutes left.

A heartening crowd of 1,328 waited in vain for a repeat of the scintillating five-try blitz which had sunk Hartpury three weeks earlier.

On a greasy surface both sides were guilty of several early knock-ons and there was a general lack of snap and precision about Mowden's handling when they did create opportunities.

Stupple was in the sin bin when Mowden forged ahead through a converted try and a penalty either side of half-time. But once he returned the visiting pack took control.

It probably made little difference that Mowden centre Ben Frankland was in the bin when the winning try was scored, although his yellow card did highlight the inconsistency of officialdom.

The referee took a touch judge's word that Frankland was guilty of a deliberate knock-on, yet a Plymouth player who committed the same offence in the first half was not sin-binned.

While Ralph Appleby was getting to grips with the loose head duties in Nesbit's absence, the signs were ominous for Mowden as they were shunted backwards in some early scrums But they clawed their way into the game and after Warren Seals was just short with a penalty from near halfway a good attack was snuffed out by an interception.

Mowden took the lead after 29 minutes when scrum half Bruno Bravo took a quick penalty on the 22 and made it to within five metres.

The ball was moved left then right with wingers Jake Henry and George Wacokecoke both just short before Seals drove over and added the conversion.

Plymouth came back strongly and got over the line after a series of pick-and-goes. The ball wasn't grounded, but from the five-metre scrum Stupple touched down the pushover try.

In the first minute of added time Mowden full back Jake Woodhouse tried to cap a good move by sliding over, but didn't quite get the ball down.

From the resultant scrum No 8 Ollie Hodgson's offload was deliberately knocked on, resulting in a penalty but no yellow card.

Mowden ran it and while Plymouth did well to keep them out, Stupple's interference resulted in his sin-binning. Again the penalty was run and this time flanker Simon Uzokwe was put through a gap by Wacokecoke for his 16th try of the season.

Seals' conversion from wide on the right made it 14-7 at half-time and he added a simple penalty three minutes after the break.

But the return of the powerful Stupple was followed by Mowden's injuries starting to kick in.

Plymouth kicked a simple penalty and levelled the scores after 60 minutes through Stupple's second converted try, which followed a strong burst by impressive open side Sam Matavesi.

The winning try came seven minutes later, again following strong forward pressure, ending with Stupple forcing his way through a pile of bodies in the left corner.

The full back converted from the touchline, which at least did not deny Mowden a losing bonus point.

They will now try to patch up the wounded for a run of what should be easier games, starting with this week's trip to struggling Hull Ionians.