BLAYDON will be desperate to end their worst run in national league rugby at home to Kendal next Saturday after suffering their seventh successive defeat at Fylde.

They led 3-0 and missed two clear try-scoring chances early on, but finally lost 32-3 to remain next to the bottom of National Three North.

Their long casualty list has forced them to bring players back too soon, resulting in centre Pete Kilburn being ruled out for a further three weeks. Nor will they be helped by losing No 8 Hayden Cullen as he is returning home to New Zealand for family reasons until the New Year.

Blaydon played some attractive rugby, but their day was summed up by one of their many knock-ons allowing Fylde to race away for an 80-metre try.

Blaydon attacked from the kick-off with the ball going through ten pairs of hands before they just failed to get in at the corner.

Dan Clappison kicked their penalty then winger Sean Hannah tried to come inside when he might have scored on the outside.

Once goal-kicking fly half Mike Scott had levelled the scores Fylde began to take charge, but they were greatly flattered by the margin.

Fylde moved above Tynedale, who slipped from third to fifth when they lost 34-20 at home to leaders Halifax, who have won eight in a row.

The visitors' superior forward power finally told after they went 10-0 down in the first ten minutes and were locked at 10-10 at the break.

Tynedale skipper Phil Belgian, who went off injured in the second half, kicked an early penalty then converted a try by left winger Ali Gray.

Halifax prop Gareth Richardson rumbled over after 22 minutes, a penalty levelled the scores and they went ahead four minutes after half-time with a converted try by centre Richard Hughes.

Will Massey took over the goal kicking for Tynedale and slotted a penalty after 50 minutes but they were sunk by two converted tries in a three-minute spell. Centre Rob White scored a late try for Tynedale.

Middlesbrough found grounds for optimism in their impressive fightback in a rearranged North One match at Chester.

Although they lost 29-22, they had been 17-0 down after 15 minutes and led 22-17 ten minutes after half-time. Chester scored two tries in the last ten minutes, when Boro prop Craig Chapman was in the sin-bin for handling on the deck.

With Richard McRae and Ben Pattinson strengthening the back row, and the three Richardson brothers performing well in the backs, a second league win of the season cannot be far away for Boro.

With skipper Gavin Fingland opting to play in the seconds and vice-captain Peter Wright out until Christmas, they played with a lot of spirit under the captaincy of Andy Micklewright.

Fly half Dave Richardson scored two tries and added a conversion and a drop goal, while impressive young full back Neil Baggett finished a well-worked move from 20 metres for the try which put them ahead.

Richardson went round two players for his first try after good forward pressure then raced over from 30 metres following a break by hooker Richard Horton.

In another rearranged league match Durham City continued their marked improvement by scoring seven tries in a 44-0 win at Consett.

It means the resurgent big guns are massing at the top of Durham and Northumberland One as City are now third behind Percy Park and Northern.

Westoe underlined their growing strength under Richard Arnold as they marched into the last 16 of the Powergen Intermediate Cup with a 20-14 win away to Driffield.

They led 5-0 at half-time through a try by lock Paul Bird then fell 7-5 behind before prop Gareth Nesbit forced his way over.

Paul Hagan converted and added a penalty, then Arnold touched down to make sure that Driffield's late try was to no avail.

Former Mowden Park players are obviously having a big impact as Sunderland's embarrassing slide to D and N Division Three has been turned around since Tony Irwin rejoined them.

Comfortably top of their division, they are also through to the fifth round of the Powergen Junior Vase after a 22-6 home win against Merseyside club Sefton.

Fly half Ian Dobson, who spent a couple of seasons with Darlington, scored two of Sunderland's tries after Fraser Kennedy gave them a fifth minute lead. Northallerton went out of the competition when they lost 19-0 at Pocklington, while Gosforth won 11-10 at Netherall.