Darlington Mowden Park 14 Ampthill 12

IT wasn't quite as gripping as the promotion play-off victory against the same visitors three years ago, but the build-up to the dramatic climax was very similar.

Mowden were again outgunned in the tight, but stuck to their task so tenaciously that they were able to drag themselves over the line with a try five minutes from time.

The victory lifted them two places up the table and eight points clear of the third relegation spot.

The thrilling finish compensated for an opening hour in which the best entertainment was provided by the dancing girls of the Seven Performance Company with their slick display at half-time.

The increasingly attritional nature of National One rugby has seen attendances decline and 777 saw the score locked at 7-7 for 50 minutes.

The goal-kicking of fly half Josh Bragman has been crucial for Mowden in the last three games, and although he was narrowly off target with an early penalty, his conversion of the first try from the right touchline proved decisive.

His switch of direction and astute cross kick set up that try for full back Jamie Barnard, while centre Ben Frankland capped a good performance by forcing his way over for the decider.

Mowden got to the line four more times without being able to convince the referee that they had grounded the ball.

On that basis they deserved the win and it was a very commendable effort considering that their lack of line-out options proved a bigger handicap than usual and they often went backwards in the scrums.

The defence was again excellent, furstrating an Ampthill side who relied heavily on the battering of their four Pacific Islanders. None was as effective as Mowden's Talite Vaioleti.

There are generally few opportunities for wingers, but young Adam Radwan showed his paces on the counter-attack.

He also capitalised on rare line-out ball in the second half with a good kick and chase, which forced Ampthill to concede a five-metre scrum.

Mowden dominated possession for the first ten minutes, earning a 7-0 lead.

But after 13 minutes they were pushed off their own scrum ball before Ampthill kicked a penalty to the corner and used the line-out ball to scramble over by the posts.

A long period of pressure ended when the visitors were penalised for backchat and Mowden finished the first half in the ascendancy.

Having been held up on the line twice, it happened again straight after half-time following a half break and good offload by Bergman to Simon Uzokwe, This time prop Ralph Appleby was deemed not to have got the ball down and the deadlock continued when Amptill took the lead after 64 minutes.

A pick-up by the No 8 sent the scrum half over following two scrums at which Mowden went backwards, prompting them to send Darren Fearn back on.

He became the fourth to be held up on the line, but Mowden kept the pressure on and when they were awarded a penalty under the posts they drove for victory and Frankland nipped over. The winning conversion was a formality for Bragman.