THE relief and jubilation at Mowden Park on Saturday was tinged with regret that the team had not played with such sparkle all season.

It seems that only when relegation from National Three North became a real possibility did they perform to their potential, although the return to action of Mark Bedworth at inside centre may have been the main catalyst.

He scored 19 points in this comprehensive win against the team heading for a promotion play-off, whose previous highest total of points conceded this season was 25 away to champions Halifax.

After a run of one win in 11 games, Mowden have won three out of four since Bedworth returned and are now safe and looking forward to trying to end Halifax's unbeaten record in two weeks.

They will also want to stay ahead of Darlington after edging in front of their neighbours by virtue of having one more win.

Having Kelekolio Paino back at lock after his long absence has also made a difference for Mowden, while his fellow Pacific Islander Peni Fakalelu is making his bull-like strength count after spending most of the season on the bench.

The much-maligned link with Newcastle Falcons has also had some benefits as Jason Smithson again starred in the back row and Peter Phelan's versatility proved very useful.

After looking slippery on the wing in the first half he switched to scrum half when Shaun Richardson hurt an ankle and scored his second try with a brilliant solo effort.

But in an excellent game in which Macclesfield kept clawing their way back, Bedworth was the match-winner as he landed two penalties and converted all five tries, one of which he scored himself while making two others.

Macclesfield were well beaten up front, but after going 7-0 down they scored two breakaway tries to lead 12-7, then from 21-12 down they kicked two penalties either side of half-time.

Mowden stretched away to 31-18 but visiting centre Steve Campbell scored his second converted try to revive Macclesfield's hopes before Bedworth settled matters.

He kicked his second penalty then burst on to a short pass from Martin Shaw to cut through and send out a huge pass for winger Michael Georgiou to score in the right corner.

Mowden's opening try after ten minutes followed a free kick awarded at a scrum. Hooker Tasi Tuhana drove on and from 15 metres Fakalelu bullocked his way over.

Macclesfield immediately responded with a superb try from a move starting just outside their own 22 and ending with Campbell coming inside off the right wing on a 40-metre diagonal run to the line.

Their next try also came from a clinical counter-attack after Mowden looked like scoring, only for the final pass to go astray. Macclesfield kicked on, then Campbell made ground up the left before passing inside for winger Ben Wheale to score.

Mowden were back in front after 25 minutes when they were awarded a penalty in the right corner, and after a long injury stoppage Bedworth caught the visitors napping with a perfect low cross-kick for the unmarked Phelan to score on the left.

Ten minutes later Richardson made an incisive break from a ruck. Unfortunately he took it on too far and suffered his injury, but Mowden recycled the ball and Bedworth raced on to Shaw's long pass to glide over near the posts.

From a position of comfort, Mowden threatened to shoot themselves in the foot by conceding a string of penalties, the one for off-side on the restart after half-time being particularly stupid.

But after seeing the gap cut to three points they quickly got back on top. A pick-and-drive by Fakalelu provided Phelan with the opening which he exploited with two exquisite dummies to race over from 30 metres.

A Bedworth penalty made it 31-18 but Macclesfield were again given hope when Smithson was sin-binned for handling on the deck with 15 minutes left.

After three drives for the line the visitors moved the ball out for Campbell to score, but Bedworth's second penalty gave Mowden a two-score cushion, only for replacement prop Danny Brown to be sin-binned for over-vigorous rucking.

That meant Ian Keeligan had to go back on for the next scrum, but it was rock solid and led directly to Georgiou's try, which Bedworth converted from the touchline for a winning margin which was well deserved.

Result: Darlington Mowden Park 41, Macclesfield 25.