Bishop Auckland: After starting the season with two wins, Bishop Auckland RUFC first XV suffered their third defeat in a row on Saturday when they lost 22-19 at home to Chester le Street RFC in the Durham and Northumberland third division.

With injuries to Dave Bartle and Jimmy Atkinson, and Ed Dufton unavailable, Bishops called up club coach Mark Mcnair out of retirement to play at fly half. Chester applied early forward pressure, their no. 8 scoring from close range. Poor tackling by the home side led to the visitors scoring a simple try on 20 minutes.

Bishops rallied with their no. 8 Ian Campbell and scrum half Kelvin Simpson running the ball deep into opposition territory. From a quickly taken penalty, the Auckland forwards were halted just short of the Chester try line, but Mcnair, acting as scrum half, gave the blind side pass to Campbell who scored in the corner.

The home side maintained the pressure, forcing a string of penalties. From another quick penalty, Simpson fed flanker Peter Gallone to cross the try line from five yards. Campbell added the extra points.

With Bishops now on top, the ball was passed along the line from a ruck to full back Simon Blanch who finished off the move with a try. With another successful conversion, Bishops led 19-10 at half time.

In the second half, Chester's forward dominance denied Bishops further scoring opportunities. The visitors were rewarded for all their possession and pressure with two tries in quick succession, one converted, as the visitors recorded their first league win of the season.

Darlington RFC : Darlington RFC 47 v Middlesbrough 5

Darlington's pre-match team talk extended beyond the 11am kick-off and Referee Andy Gunnell decided to start the match with a penalty to Middlesborough for the ten minute delay. The opening period of the game was scrappy with a series of errors from both sides, a good run up the left wing by Alistair Carr ended in a knock on and scrum to Middlesborough inside their own 22. Darlington pressure at this scrum had Middlesborough scrambling for possession, the home side managing to chip the ball beyond the try line, Middlesborough attempted to run the ball back, Barbarian style, before thinking better of it and put the ball down for a 22 drop out. The drop out was charged downby Lewis Morgan but despite some good Middlesborough defence scrum-half Paul Smith broke free and managed to pass to Rory Clegg who ran the ball in under the posts.

Soon after the restart a line-out close to half-way gave quick ball to the Darlington backs and some excellent ball handling gave Mathew Lister a chance to show his pace coming from full back to run the ball over for the second try.

Middlesborough played well and good progress has been made with this team over the last few years, their strengths were shown through the centre and around the rucks where they regularly made turn overs, Fergus Kitching and Aaron Scott for Middlesborough both put up good individual performances.

This opening period established the pattern of play for the rest of the match; Middlesborough winning the ball around the rucks and mauls but failing to get past strong tackling in open play; Richard Leigh putting in some excellent work. When Darlington backs were given good ball they used their pace to exploit an unorganised Middlesborough defence including a wonderful individual try from Jo Kibirigi who ran the ball in from inside his own 22 for his first of two trys. Darlington added further trys from Josh Walden, Blair Monaghan and new boy Dexter Bogle who proved difficult to stop whenever he got the ball.

Middlesborough scored a consolation try following scrappy play by Darlington through the centre.

Durham University Freshmen 22 v 7 Durham County U20s

At Hollow Drift, Durham City Durham University Freshmen won a pacey and keenly contested friendly against Durham County U20s 22-7. Both sides demonstrated their huge potential with strong defence and brilliant attacking moves throughout.

The Freshmen opened the scoring after 10 minutes with a good midfield backs move that resulted in centre Luke Wallum diving under the posts. Centre partner James Whittingham tagged on the conversion for a 7-0 lead.

The U20s found there rhythm soon after and began to apply some good phases of pressure and they were rewarded midway through the half.

Back-row Jonny Durnian burrowed over after a five metre lineout catch and drive.

Fly-half John Burgess added the touchline conversion to level the scores.

Despite further pressure from both sides, the scores remain level at 7-7 going into half-time.

The second-half started at a frenetic pace with both sides producing some excellent counter attacking moves.

However, it was a 70 metre move by the Freshmen that yielded an unconverted try for powerful winger Neil Graves.

With a 12-7 advantage, the Freshmen began to play with increased confidence. However, a try saving tackle within the Freshmen's 22 prevented the U20s from levelling the scores.

Soon after the Freshmen's fitness began to tell and they were rewarded with two unconverted tries for speedy winger James Robinson in the right corner. Robinson's impressive brace made the final score 22-7.