THE VALUE of skipper Dave Guthrie to Blaydon was underlined when he returned ahead of schedule on Saturday and helped them end a run of seven defeats.

Blaydon hadn't won since Guthrie broke his chest bone in the Powergen Cup second round win against Wharfedale, but he made a tremendous difference to the pack against Kendal.

But it was still too close for comfort as for the second successive week Kendal lost to the last kick of the match.

Dan Clappison had failed to convert any of Blaydon's five tries, but landed the last-minute penalty from under the posts for a 28-25 win, which lifted Blaydon three places.

With Gavin Stainsby doing well at No 8 and prop Fatu Tulaga having his best game, the forwards were well on top and drove over for four of the tries.

They were touched down by hooker Matt Hall, lock Jimmy Houghton, Tulaga and fellow prop Paul Winter, while centre Andy Khan also scored.

Clappison's first conversion attempt from the touchline into the wind hit the bar, but he got progressively worse until the match-winning kick.

The first of winger John Ladell's three tries put Kendal 8-5 in front, but it was 15-8 to Blaydon at half-time and they were never behind again.

Darlington Mowden Park totally outplayed hosts Dudley Kingswinford in a 17-17 draw, but in the end were lucky not to lose as the referee decided what looked a good match-winning pass was forward.

In his second match back after injury, Mowden lost goal-kicker Mark Bedworth ten minutes from time with another leg injury and he could be out for several weeks.

Dudley set the tone by scoring the first time they escaped from their own half after ten minutes, rolling over from a line-out following a penalty to the corner.

Mowden responded with pressure which brought three kickable penalties in six minutes, but Bedworth hit a post with the first and landed only one.

When another penalty quickly followed a Dudley player was sin-binned and Mowden went for touch and drove over, with prop Peni Fakalelu touching down straight after replacing Dave Sinclair.

Bedworth missed another penalty then Mowden spurned the next kickable one and opted for a kick to the corner, followed by a drive which just failed to get over the line.

It was that sort of day and when they kicked another penalty to the corner the referee promptly blew for half-time.

After ten more minutes of pressure at the start of the second half they were caught offside and Dudley made it 10-10.

Jason Smithson impressed when he went on at No 8 for the last half hour and a big up-and-under by fly half Michael Georgiou led to Mowden regaining the lead after 70 minutes.

Gareth Kerr followed up with a good tackle and ball rebounded to Georgiou, who scored.

But Mowden's day was summed up when they were attacking in the 80th minute and Dudley intercepted to race 70 metres for a converted try.

Tynedale, already depleted, lost centre Barry Hills and flanker Rowan Brown on the way to a 22-20 defeat away to second-placed Macclesfield.

Middlesbrough slipped to second bottom in North One when they lost 31-14 at home to leaders Hull, despite a good display by the forwards.

They more than held their own in the scrums but the Hull backs looked the more likely to score and two converted tries just before half-time gave them a flattering 24-7 lead.

Boro's first half try followed a good drive up the left and fly half Dave Richardson cut inside to score by the posts, Simon Moore converting.

It was an even contest for 35 minutes after the break then Hull scored another converted try and Boro replied at the death. Shaun Richardson picked up from a ruck and chipped ahead for winger Andy Micklewright to score in the corner. Dave Richardson converted from the touchline.

Westoe continue to make life tough for opponents in North Two East, with Dutch winger Jay Boske and Vinny Bell each scoring three of their 13 tries in a 75-5 home win against Stockton.

Prop Simon Brown scored Stockton's try but they have slipped to third from the bottom, although things are even gloomier for Horden, who lost the battle of the bottom two 33-10 at Morpeth.

Hartlepool Rovers continued their improvement since Andy Foreman joined them from Mowden Park with a 57-8 win at home to Redcar.

The Foremans were very much to the fore with Andy scoring four tries and his brother Gareth two plus six conversions.

Michael Charlton and Andrew Lilley got the other tries while Nathan Fahey touched down for Redcar.

West Hartlepool stayed alongside Rovers with a second successive win, with props Ryan Phillips and Mark Cholmondeley among the scorers in a 28-9 home victory against Alnwick.

Flankers Andrew Davies and Jonny Boatman also touched down and David Tighe kicked two penalties and a conversion.

Northallerton suffered the usual disruptions before an away match, including the loss of star man Steve Robinson, whose first child had just arrived.

Brian Tucker suffered a thigh injury in the warm-up and Northallerton lost a dour match at Moortown 18-3.