THE two Darlington clubs both recorded vital wins on Saturday, suggesting they might be in the same division next season.

The possibility of exchanging places receded as Mowden Park ended a run of six defeats in National Three North with a 38-14 home win against Preston Grasshoppers.

Mowden have a tough game at New Brighton on Saturday, but then things become a little easier and on Saturday's evidence they should climb away from trouble.

Darlington moved into third place in North One by hanging on for a 20-19 win at Macclesfield, who were previously second.

Mowden had the benefit of the wind in the first half and the forwards overpowered their visitors to build a 28-0 half-time lead with four converted tries.

The front row were again excellent and former skipper John Hutchinson was outstanding after coming in at No 8 for the injured Jon Dye.

Fly half Mark Bedworth finished off good work by the forwards to score after four minutes, then Hutchinson touched down twice within three minutes midway through the half.

He handed off an opponent to power over from 20 metres, then scored from a catch-and-drive following a penalty to the corner.

A good move by the backs ended with scrum half Richard Holbrough sending winger James Tyrrell over and Bedworth added his fourth conversion.

Grasshoppers failed to collect the restart and Bedworth added a penalty before the visitors scored a converted try.

After 55 minutes Bedworth put Iain Dixon away and the full back handed off his opposite number on a 60-metre run to the posts. Preston scored another converted try six minutes from time.

Darlington dominated the first half at Macclesfield, only to find themselves trailing 13-7 after 30 minutes. But a try by centre Dave Haswell and a penalty by Kieron Thompson gave them a 17-13 interval lead and they hung on defiantly under second half pressure.

Macclesfield had a chance to win with the last kick of the match, but from five metres in from touch the penalty drifted just right of the posts.

The hosts opened the scoring with a penalty after four minutes, but Darlington pressure brought a try seven minutes later.

They stole the ball in midfield and moved it right, where Paul Heslop beat the full back to score in the corner after coming across from the left wing. Thompson added a good conversion.

Macclesfield came straight back with a penalty and Darlington missed two more chances to score before going behind when the hosts broke away to score against the run of play.

Then came Haswell's try. He broke away from near halfway and got to within seven metres before the ball was recycled and he took the final pass to go under the posts.

Thompson converted and added a simple penalty with the last kick of the half, but his form deserted him as he missed three second half efforts, twice hitting a post.

He did land the crucial kick after 55 minutes, however, giving Darlington their one-point lead after Macclesfield kicked two penalties.

There was no further score, and although the hosts' pressure occasionally saw them break through in the centre, Darlington's cover defence was excellent.

The Blaydon forwards were in top form in a 35-19 win at home to Waterloo, with prop Dan Harper scoring two tries to take his season's tally to six.

The decision to use the pace of Andy Foreman on the wing also paid off with an excellent try, while his replacement at scrum half, Mick Dungait, fully justified his selection.

Former Mowden player Kevin McCallum also had his best game for the club at full back, twice taking out a centre who came down the middle and scoring a good try after gathering a clearance.

McCallum was also just short after another good run, but Dave Guthrie followed up to score.

Tasi Tuhana's organisational skills helped on his return at hooker, while Mike Donaldson did well at the line-out, and Gavin Stainsby played well on his return to the back row.

West Hartlepool's plight in North One increased with a 48-0 defeat at Birkenhead Park. West struggled badly at the line-out and the hosts' pacy young backs caused a lot of problems in building a 31-0 interval lead.

An outstanding display by full back Lee Richardson could not prevent Stockton from losing 25-12 at Morpeth in North Two East.

The match was held up for 20 minutes midway through the first half when an accidental clash left Stockton lock Mark Skirving unconscious. As neck damage was suspected he was taken to Wansbeck General Hospital, but was released after examination.

Already disrupted by having to bring in Ben Jenkinson for his debut at prop and Peter Armstrong at scrum half, Stockton sent on Ian Todd for Skirving and later lost hooker Glyn Delmar.

Regular hooker Danny Muirhead, who failed a pre-match fitness test, went on for the last ten minutes, only to aggravate the injury. He will now be out for several weeks.

Richardson linked with winger Simon Crozier to score after one minute, but Morpeth came straight back with a penalty then scored a try when Simon Moore was caught behind his own line.

Another mistake when Crozier lost the ball allowed Morpeth to score again for a 15-7 half-time lead.

Richardson chipped over the defence to score another good try for Stockton, but after winger Pedro Salahshouri dropped the ball five metres from the line Morpeth counter-attacked to score again.

Middlesrough were 20-3 down with 20 minutes left when John Dixon went on at Horden and finally had a chance to level the scores after flanker Gavin Fingland scored in the last minute. But Carl Burnett's conversion attempt went narrowly wide as Horden won 20-18.

Burnett kicked a first half penalty but the Horden forwards were more committed and earned a 17-3 interval lead. Half backs Andy Raine and Andrew Turner also played well, with Raine scoring two tries and Turner kicking the rest of the points.

Winger Danny Poole scored two tries in Boro's fightback, one from 50 metres, while there was also an impressive performance from the South African exchange referee.

Results

ZURICH PREMIERSHIP: Bath 19, Bristol 30; Gloucester 28, Leeds 10; London Irish 27, Leicester 7; Northampton 35, Harlequins 7; Saracens 17, Newcastle 9; Wasps 25, Sale Sharks 32.

NATIONAL DIVISION THREE (North): Bedford Athletic 18, Tynedale 25; Blaydon 35, Waterloo 19; Broadstreet 33, Dudley Kingswinford 10; Darlington Mowden Park 38, Preston Grasshoppers 14; Halifax 35, Hull Ionians 13; Liverpool St Helens 23, Nuneaton 31. Postponed: Scunthorpe v New Brighton.

NORTH DIVISION ONE: Aspatria 27, Chester 35; Birkenhead Park 48, West Hartlepool 0; Huddersfield 6, Morley 16; Macclesfield 19, Darlington 20; Sandal 5, Cleckheaton 52; West Park (St Helens) 32, Driffield 33.

NORTH TWO EAST: Alnwick 19, Westoe 21; Bradford & Bingley 31, Hull 0; Horden 20, Middlesbro' 18; Morpeth 25, Stockton 12; Scarborough 14, Goole 6; Sheffield 58, Redcar 6.

DURHAM & NORTHUMBERLAND DIVISION ONE: Acklam 25, Hartlepool 33; Durham City 22, West Hartlepool TDSOB 10; Gateshead 13, Ashington 10; Gosforth 30, Billingham 28; Hartlepool Rovers 24, Percy Park 28; Northern 10, Ryton 3.

DIVISION TWO: Barnard Castle 20, Wallsend 19; Guisborough 12, North Shields 8; Houghton 18, Sunderland 0; Novocastrians 22, Seaton Carew 7; Whitby 3, Winlaton Vulcans 3. Postponed: Consett v Blyth.

DIVISION THREE: Chester le Str 3, Ponteland 22; South Tyneside Coll 25, Richmondshire 0; Wearside 0, Bishop Auckland 20; West Hartlepool Amas 17, Medicals 25; Whitley Bay Rockcliff 53, Jarrovians 3. Postponed: Yarm v Seghill.

YORKSHIRE DIVISION TWO: Heath 29, Malton & Norton 20; Pocklington 3, Northallerton 15; Ripon 13, Keighley 16.