MOST of the drama on the final day of league rugby was provided by the scrap to avoid the third relegation place in North Two East.

Stockton sensationally wrecked Hull's 100 per cent record with the last kick of the game, while Bridlington's fightback from 15-0 down at West Hartlepool left them with a 22-22 draw.

Having started the match in fear of relegation, Stockton finished sixth after Horden and Redcar both lost. Horden would have gone down had Bridlington won, but it was the East Yorkshire club who took the agonising tumble.

Stockton's 23-22 win should give them a big lift ahead of Wednesday's Durham Cup semi-final at home to Darlington.

Fly half Jeremy Good opened the scoring with a third-minute penalty and also completed it with the winning kick from 30 metres.

Playing with the wind in the first half, Stockton were 10-0 up after ten minutes, but trailed 22-13 until No 8 Scott Powell gave them hope ten minutes from time.

They took heart from Hull having two men sin-binned for backchat to the referee and worked some good blind side moves.

Powell broke away from halfway, outstripped the defence and dummied to the supporting Alan Brown to score near enough to the posts for Good to convert.

Hull came back and almost got to the line, but good defence kept them out and Stockton came away through another good blind side move to earn the penalty which won the match.

Good also converted the first-half try when Mark Skirving was driven over following a line-out, and added a penalty on the stroke of half-time after two tries had brought Hull back to 10-10.

West Hartlepool feel their fifth league draw may be a record after finishing all square with Bridlington for the second time.

Playing downwind, West were 15-0 up after 20 minutes but then lost Brett Cullinane with a thigh injury and began to struggle at the line-out.

The bigger Bridlington forwards scored two pushover tries, including the one which levelled the scores four minutes from time.

With Phil Wallis and Allan Milne impressing in the backs, West scored three very good tries through David Tighe, Henry Tones and Peter Hodgson. Tighe added a penalty and two conversions.

Already assured of a home play-off for promotion against Caldy next Saturday, Middlesbrough sent a weakened team to Westoe and lost 24-8.

They were 17-0 down at half-time but improved and scored a try through winger Danny Poole after scrum half Tom Bivens charged down a kick.

Simon Moore added a penalty two minutes later, but Middlesbrough had already used their substitutes and another injury reduced them to 14 men. They were down to 13 when skipper Gavin Fingland was sin-binned for a late tackle and Westoe took advantage with a converted try.

Darlington fielded a weakened side at home to National Three North leaders Halifax and lost 29-12 after leading 12-5.

They had two early chances but difficult passes were dropped just short of the line and after 15 minutes a Halifax maul sucked in the defence and two long passes created a try.

Darlington replied on the half hour when winger Frankie Coulson broke away up the right and passed inside for Del Lewis to cover the last ten metres to the line.

The constant recycling saw Lewis, Joe Oselton and Andy Carphin go close before Mark Butler spun out of a tackle to score by the posts, Dave Haswell converting.

Halifax scored a similar try to their first one just before half-time but still trailed and after declining any kicks at goal in the first half they decided they could afford no more liberties and forged ahead with four penalties.

They had to wait until 15 minutes to add their second try, then Darlington applied late pressure but were held up over the line

Darlington Mowden Park won 39-15 at Kendal and finished their National Three North programme in third place.

After thrashing Kendal at home in league and cup, Mowden were again totally dominant with the wind behind them after trailing 15-12 at half-time.

Both their first-half tries came from interceptions deep in their own half, with centre Suka Hufanga and full back Iain Dixon racing away to score. Dave Richardson added a conversion.

Kendal's two tries came as a result of poor tackling and they also added a conversion and a penalty.

Mark Bedworth levelled the scores with a penalty after 55 minutes shortly after replacing Richardson at fly half.

It was all Mowden after that and they went ahead when No 8 Tom McLaren picked up at a five-metre scrum and crashed over in the corner.

The Mowden forwards drove on from the restart and when Kendal were penalised for pulling the maul down Andy Foreman took a quick penalty and nipped over.

Bedworth converted and was again on target when the ball went along the line for Foreman to score again.

Mowden spent the last ten minutes trying to engineer a try for prop Ian Keeligan and he succeeded in getting over in the corner.