Darlington Mowden Park kick-started their bid for National Three North survival with a 20-11 home win against Dudley Kingswinford.

In a rousing match Mowden played with great spirit and defended heroically as the fourth-placed Midlanders threatened a comeback.

Jon Dye capped an impressive performance at No 8 by helping to set up the first try for centre Jonno Wilson and scoring the second.

Fly half Mark Bedworth converted both and added two penalties, with his first 40-metre effort going over off a post to suggest Mowden's luck was turning.

Mowden pressurised their visitors from the kick-off and after five minutes scrum half Richard Holbrough chipped ahead up the left then moved the ball right for Dye to ride a tackle and slip the ball back inside for Wilson to score.

Penalties were exchanged before home prop Ian Keeligan was sin-binned five minutes before half-time.

Dudley capitalised with a good try by their excellent full back Eddie Smith to trail only 10-8 at the break.

After Bedworth stretched the lead, Dudley began trying to batter round the fringes rather than spread the ball wide, and Mowden defiantly kept them out then struck a telling blow with 18 minutes left.

Holbrough darted 20 metres from a quickly-taken penalty and handed on to full back Iain Dixon, who was stopped just short, with an opponent killing the ball to earn a yellow card.

Mowden kept the pressure on and Dye won a line-out then took an inside pass from Holbrough and broke two tackles to go under the posts.

A penalty ten minutes from time was all Dudley had to show for their gallant efforts to fight back.

Mowden are now only two points behind Blaydon, who trailed 20-0 at home to New Brighton before leading scorer, prop Dan Harper, was driven over on the half hour.

Hooker Tasi Tuhana also scored from close range, then flanker Andy Wright scored under the posts and with fly half David Dalrymple adding the goal points Blaydon had the gap down to 28-22. But a converted try sealed a 35-22 win for the visitors.

Darlington moved into second place in North One with a 47-20 win at Huddersfield, although they edged ahead of Macclesfield only on points difference as the Cheshire club won 28-13 at Birkenhead Park.

With leaders Cleckheaton losing 13-11 at Chester the top four are now all on 16 points.

Darlington were always in control after taking a second minute lead.

Richard Snowball stole a Huddersfield line-out throw and quick passing saw winger Paul Heslop make 30 yards before full back Kieron Thompson picked up and fed prop Dan Miller, who drove over after covering 60 metres in support.

A penalty reduced the gap to 7-3 before Paul Beattie intercepted in midfield and raced under the posts for the first of his two tries.

Penalties were exchanged before Bryan Dixon was sin-binned for over-vigorous rucking, but Darlington managed another try before his return when Dave Haswell and Paul Lee set up Beattie, who outpaced three defenders to the corner.

Hopes of a big interval lead disappeared as Darlington spurned three chances to clear their line and conceded a converted try to make it 20-13.

Dixon claimed the first of four second half tries following a good drive by the pack.

Thompson added a good conversion, then a perfect chip by Paul Lee allowed his brother Craig to send Haswell over.

Heslop scored the sixth, converted by Thompson, before an interception on halfway saw Huddersfield score under the posts. Martin Howe responded with the final try.

West Hartlepool's goose looks well and truly cooked after a 15-14 defeat away to the only team below them, Sandal.

In North Two East there was controversy at Redcar, where the referee went to Scarborough instead, arrived an hour late and abandoned the match in darkness with 17 minutes left. Hull were leading 11-0.

The other Teesside clubs were away to the top two, Middlesbrough losing 26-5 at Bradford and Bingley while Stockton went down 24-8 at Sheffield.

Stockton played much better than in the previous week's defeat by Redcar and led 8-0 for much of the first half following a try by Graham Kell and a penalty by Simon Moore.

It was a similar story for Boro, who had to play hooker Richard Horton at lock yet raised their game and dominated up front.

The forwards established a big territorial advantage in the second half, but there was no reward until centre Mark Featherstone scored a late try.

Horden moved into sixth place with a 14-0 win at home to Alnwick.

Northallerton remain next to the bottom of Yorkshire Two after a 35-0 defeat at Ripon, for whom Jason Bell scored two of their five tries.