Darlington Mowden Park will return to the more serious business of National Three North survival tomorrow after last Saturday's 41-3 win at home to Hartlepool Rovers in the delayed first round tie in the Durham Cup.

They will be away to Westoe in the semi-final, bringing them up against last season's player-coach Richard Arnold, who now holds the same post with the South Shields club.

But Mowden's only free Saturday this month is on April 16, when Westoe are at Twickenham for the Powergen Intermediate Cup final, so the semi-final will have to be in midweek after that date.

Whether they can fit it in this month at all will depend on whether Mowden's league status is preserved before they entertain Fylde in their final game on April 30.

They visit Cleckheaton tomorrow and of equal importance is Darlington's home match against Rugby, who are one point below Mowden in the third relegation spot.

Darlington will be safe if they win and collect a four-try bonus as that would put them beyond the reach of Rugby, who will have only two games left.

As those games are away to bottom club Bedford and at home to Blaydon, Rugby will fancy winning them to keep Mowden under pressure.

Mowden's remaining games after tomorrow are at home to second-placed Macclesfield next week, then away to leaders Halifax (April 23) and at home to Fylde (April 30).

Darlington, who had no game last Saturday, still have to wait for confirmation that their county cup semi-final will be at Blaydon, who beat them in last season's final.

Blaydon's first round tie at Horden was postponed on Saturday because Horden couldn't raise a side, and it has been rescheduled for next Wednesday.

Mowden, Darlington and Blaydon have dominated the county cup in recent seasons, but it is losing its attraction for all of them as they concentrate on retaining their hard-earned national league status.

Darlington are seeking a fourth successive win tomorrow and should be confident of avenging two early season defeats away to Rugby.

The second one, in the Powergen Cup, was a real drubbing, but the Midlanders will find their hosts a different proposition now.

Mowden rested several players against Hartlepool Rovers, who are two divisions below them, but the gulf in class was obvious as they ran in seven tries.

The match gave lock Kelekolio Paino a further chance to build his match fitness after a long injury absence and his powerful charges reinforced the impression that he still has a big part to play this season.

Flanker Matt Wright, left out for the last two league games, also did well as Mowden enjoyed total forward dominance.

They also recalled lock Luke Monument and gave opportunities to Matthew Brown at full back and hooker Mark Darlington, and all acquitted themselves well.

Rovers defended well for the first ten minutes and broke out once through Andy Foreman, the former Mowden player who started at centre and switched to scrum half after the interval.

Following forward pressure centre Mark Bedworth scored the first try after 16 minutes, then Rovers' only points came from a well-struck penalty by Gareth Foreman.

Wright was stopped just short before the ball was moved out to Mark Darlington on the wing. He stepped inside then passed back outside for flanker Fosita Tanginoa to score the first of his two tries.

Winger Michael Breen raced in to make it 15-3 at half-time, and ten minutes after the break a good drive into the 22 saw the ball moved across the field and halfway back again for Paino to charge over.

Mowden quickly scored again when Wright finished off strong forward play, then No 8 Matt Holmes touched down after a catch-and-drive.

Tanginoa scored the final try from a scrum won against the head, with Bedworth adding his third conversion.

Rovers' best chance came when they drove a maul 30 metres into the right corner, but they lost the ball and Mowden moved it out, only to knock on when a try looked certain.