WESTOE paid the price for their first half stage fright at Twickenham on Saturday and lost the Powergen Intermediate Cup final 21-11 against Morley.

The South Shields club were 18-3 down before they found their form and totally dominated the second half, only to be thwarted by resolute defence.

Having achieved promotion the previous week, Westoe player-coach Richard Arnold said: "We will be in the same league as Morley next season, so we have to learn from this.

"I don't know whether we choked and the occasion got to us, but we certainly didn't play our normal game."

Westoe took a third minute lead through a Paul Hagan penalty, but former Wales fly half Colin Stephens quickly replied and Morley drove over off the back of a scrum for their first try after 14 minutes.

Westoe applied some pressure without threatening to score and on the half hour a Morley centre broke through to send winger Simon Bradshaw over. Stephens converted and added a penalty for handling in a ruck.

Westoe gave themselves hope in the last minute of the first half when fly half David Haswell set up a try for his brother Graham to make it 18-8 at the break.

For all their second half dominance Westoe managed only a 54th penalty by Hagan and after 30 minutes penned in their own half Morley broke out for Stephens to land a killer drop goal.

* Blaydon and Darlington will both be well below strength for Wednesday's Durham Cup semi-final at Crow Trees.

Blaydon even considered pulling out after losing 12-8 at Kendal on Saturday, which means they still need a point for National Three North safety.

They have home games left against New Brighton next Saturday and champions Halifax on May 7, but they could be saved by Rugby Lions failing to collect maximum points in their final match at Bedford Athletic next week.

It was a tiring slog for Blaydon in the deep Kendal mud and few of their forwards will want a midweek game before facing New Brighton.

They started well but fell behind when a neat chip by home fly half Dan Stephens put James Gough over in the corner. With the diagonal wind helping, Stephens converted.

Blaydon controlled most of the first half but had only a Richard Windle penalty to show for it and things continued in the same vein for the next 15 minutes.

Rather than go for a catch-and-drive they then allowed Windle to go for goal when a penalty was awarded in the corner and his kick faded just wide.

Kendal counter-attacked and following a line-out they piled 14 men into the maul and eventually drove over.

Blaydon hit straight back and after a pick-up by No 8 Dave Guthrie scrum half Ben Mason made a break and Windle sent winger Simon Barber over for his tenth try of the season.

There were 20 minutes left but, needing one point to ensure survival, Kendal used the conditions to their advantage and held on without much trouble.

Injuries have started to take their toll for Darlington and they were overpowered in the last 20 minutes and lost 47-18 at Fylde.

The game changed when back row man Michael Taylor joined the casualties, going off shortly after half-time with a dead leg. The reshuffle involved former centre Mark Butler going on in the second row following his recent decision to come out of retirement.

Line-out possession dried up and things got worse when flanker Joe Naga blotted a good performance by being sin-binned.

Darlington played well in the first half and led twice, with Taylor and Naga finishing off line-out drives, while Graham Kell kicked the goals. But Fylde scored in added time to lead 22-15 at the break and pulled away with three tries while Naga was off.

* Newcastle Falcons winger Michael Stephenson is to have an operation in Northampton General Hospital after breaking his left leg in two places during Friday night's defeat.

The injury resulted from a try-saving tackle by Ben Cohen during the first half, and Falcons' boss Rob Andrew said: "We are all devastated for Stevo. It just sums up the dreadful luck we are having with broken bones. I have never known a year like it."

Jonny Wilkinson came through his 50 minutes' action unscathed and said "Everything passed the test from the physical point of view. I know again what it means to be excited about playing so I just want to get in as many games as I can for Newcastle."

The bonus point the Falcons picked up meant they are safe from relegation because the bottom two, Leeds and Harlequins, have to play each other and the losers will not be able to catch Newcastle.