THE fact that two of their six tries were scored by prop Joe Oselton sums up the means by which Darlington were able to overwhelm what initially looked superior opponents.

Driving mauls were the key, but once they had established control Darlington cut loose with a highly impressive all-round game.

Rob Stewart was sharp and combative at scrum half, Frankie Coulson was always a threat on the right wing, and the three teenagers in the backs all showed their paces, including 17-year-old Fraser Monohan making his debut on the left wing.

He may have been slightly fortunate in not having to face former British Lion John Bentley, who limped out of the visitors' warm-up and stayed on the touchline.

But Cleckheaton still had enough experience and bulk up front to take the game to their hosts in the first 15 minutes and a 5-0 lead was the least they deserved.

Darlington defended well then turned the tables. From being fairly anonymous when they were on the back foot, flanker Del Lewis had an inspired 40 minutes as the match was transformed.

They had been under pressure in the scrums, but they got to grips with the task and hooker Rob Goddard did well after replacing back injury victim Dan Oselton after 35 minutes.

It took Darlington 25 minutes to score, but they were barely out of their own half for the first 15 and it was when the visitors were penalised for obstruction at the restart following their try that things began to change.

David Kell missed the penalty, but shortly afterwards Monohan had a good run following a long pass by Craig Lee and confidence started to build.

Flanker Martin Howe, influential as ever, worked a loop in the centre and Coulson shrugged off a tackle then cut inside to take play almost to the line. When the ball came back from a ruck lock Richard Snowball squeezed in at the right corner.

Kell's conversion hit a post and there was still no real sign of what was to follow as Cleckheaton hit back and should have scored, only for their right winger to knock on.

That was the big turning point as Darlington promptly drove a maul almost from their own line to the 22 then broke away up the blind side.

Cleckheaton were now under pressure and when Craig Lee ran a failed clearance back at them, Dan Miller drove on and Kell kicked a penalty to put Darlington ahead after 32 minutes.

Five minutes later Stewart broke smartly from a scrum just inside his own half and reached the 22, where a maul was set up and driven all the way to the line for Oselton to score.

That made it 13-5 at half-time then after a series of drives Oselton took an inside pass from Stewart following a ruck under the posts to score again.

Kell converted and was again on target after No 8 Michael Taylor was driven over. This stemmed from Cleckheaton knocking on at the restart and Coulson catching his opposite man in possession following a kick by Paul Lee.

After Kell kicked an easy penalty to make it 30-5 with 20 minutes left Darlington sent on David Glendenning for Craig Lee and showed there was more to their game than the driving maul.

After drives by Taylor and Lewis, Paul Lee probed the blind side and fed full back Kell, who scorched away to score.

The final try came from what looked an over-hit kick by Lee, but the ball bounced unkindly for Cleckheaton over the line and centre Lee Davis capped an impressive display by touching down.

The match was well into injury time before Cleckheaton scored their second try.