Darlington Mowden Park 26 Morley 22

DARLINGTON Mowden Park began their National Three North campaign with a more comfortable win than the 26-22 scoreline suggests against a Morley team who believe they can finish in the top three.

After turning a 15-9 half-time deficit into a 26-15 lead with 15 minutes left, Mowden eased off and allowed Morley to score a late converted try.

Mowden's newcomers showed up well, notably half backs Jon Benson and Rob Stewart, Kiwi flanker Paul Begovich and prop Dan Miller, while No 8 Jason Smithson was outstanding.

Former Morpeth full back Tom Wilkinson showed safe hands in fielding a lot of high balls, and new wingers Lawrence Oliver and Gareth Foreman also did well.

The front row scrummaged strongly and locks Luke Monument and Iain Robinson worked hard as Mowden survived a stern test against a mobile set of forwards.

In blustery conditions Benson kicked two penalties to put Mowden 6-0 ahead and their control seemed to increase when a Morley lock was sin-binned.

But while he was off they kicked a penalty then scored a converted try against the run of play when they broke from a scrum to go through a gap.

Mowden sent on prop Robbie Kalbraier for Danny Brown in the second half and Benson's third penalty cut the deficit to one point, only for poor tackling to allow a Morley forward to crash over.

In the next 20 minutes, however, Mowden secured their victory. Benson converted from wide out when Stewart scored a well-worked try after 51 minutes, then Begovich scooped the ball up to score under the posts after Jamie Connolly charged down a 22-metre drop-out.

Benson converted and added his fourth penalty, but when Begovich was sin-binned for a team offence late in the game poor tackling allowed Morley to score a converted try.

Blaydon fought back well to earn a bonus point for scoring four tries in their first match in National Two at Westcombe Park.

After booking on the 7.45am train, everything went according to schedule on their trip to Kent but they lost 38-29 to the team who beat Tynedale in last season's promotion play-off.

It was 22-7 at half-time and 32-7 until Blaydon dominated the last 20 minutes, leaving them to rue conceding two breakaway tries from their own 22.

Westcombe Park had the game's outstanding player in No 8 Tom Hayman, but Blaydon centre Martin Shaw wasn't far behind and his break from halfway set up the first try after ten minutes, finished off by winger Cameron Johnston.

Fly half Dan Kyle converted with a drop kick, but the hosts replied with the first of their three catch-and-drive tries. They also added ten points while Blaydon's new Kiwi flanker Ben Chisholm was in the sin-bin either side of half-time.

The fightback began when new scrum half Dominic Shaw scored from a quickly-taken penalty, then Martin Shaw bounced off a tackle and twisted over.

With three minutes left Blaydon ran a penalty inside their own 22 and James Kyle, who had replaced Nick Gandy at centre, shrugged off several tackles on an 80-metre run to the posts. Dan Kyle added all the conversions.

Newcastle Falcons have named a strong Development XV for tonight's friendly against Leeds Carnegie at Percy Park (kick-off 7pm).

All Black prop Joe McDonnell is included and in the back row Eni Gesinde and Ed Williamson both make brief returns from their loan spell at Cornish Pirates.

Team: Alex Tait, Ollie Phillips, James Hoyle, Adam Dehaty, Tim Visser, Rob Miller, Hall Charlton (captain), Joe McDonnell, Ross Batty, Jon Golding, Andy Perry, Peter Browne, Eni Gesinde, Ed Williamson, Brent Wilson. Replacements: Johnny Williams, Rob Vickers, Tim Swinson, Phil Dawson, Micky Young, Paddy Dias, Charles Rayner, Jack Harrison