Rugby - Darlington'S promotion hopes suffered a setback when they drew 22-22 at home to second-placed Hull Ionians in North Division One.

Darlington are now dependent on someone else beating the Humbersiders if they are to have any chance of catching them.

Home skipper David Glendenning had a chance to win the match with the last kick of the game but his penalty from halfway out on the left drifted just wide.

As at Halifax the previous week, Darlington failed to gain sufficient reward for their first half dominance and a sloppy ten minutes after the interval saw a 16-6 lead wiped out.

The rest of the match became a war of attrition with lots of stoppages, and although Glendenning twice put Darlington back in front with penalties Hull replied both times.

The final penalty with five minutes to go was awarded against Martin Howe for preventing release when Darlington felt the Hull player on the ground was hanging on to the ball.

Darlington went ahead through a Glendenning penalty after five minutes then Paul Lee ran out of his own 22 and released winger Frankie Coulson, who was stopped just short. Bryan Dixon followed up and Dan Miller plunged over.

After Glendenning missed the conversion and a penalty Marc Potts took over and made it 11-0 before Hull replied with a penalty.

A pick-up by Del Lewis on halfway led to the second try. Miller took it on then Glendenning headed for the right corner before passing inside for Mark Butler to score.

Hull kicked two penalties either side of half-time then scored their only try when the full back came into the line and went under the posts, the conversion levelling the scores.

Darlington's best hope now is that Hull lose at home to leaders Halifax next week.

The following week Hull are at home to Middlesbrough, who increasingly look doomed after losing 39-12 at Halifax.

Tries by Andy Micklewright and Wes Henry, plus a conversion by Andy Dean, kept Boro in touch at 20-12 at half-time, but then Halifax twice kicked ahead from their own 22 and followed up to score.

Still without Jon Wrigley, Tom Laursiton and skipper Richard McRae, Boro refused to let their heads drop and worked hard for the last 20 minutes.

One more defeat will confirm West Hartlepool's relegation after they saw an 11-5 lead become a 32-11 defeat at home to Liverpool St Helens.

They also had No 8 Stuart Bennett sent off, along with a visiting flanker, following a flare-up just before half-time.

West lost their way after a promising start brought a try for lock Andrew Davies and two penalties for Jamie Connolly.

In North Two East Stockton slipped below their hosts, Alnwick, into seventh place after losing 29-3 in a match featuring uncontested scrums for the last 20 minutes.

Prop Simon Brown joined Stockton's long casualty list early in the game, and his replacement Gary Skirving also had to go off with a knee injury.

A penalty try awarded after three scrums went down helped Alnwick into a 12-0 lead before Dave Turner kicked a penalty for Stockton. The hosts added three second half tries.

Westoe stepped up their bid to be the top North-East club in this division with a 29-26 win at home to third-placed Morpeth.

They led 16-6 at half-time and skipper Ali McConway burst over straight afterwards before Morpeth fought back and it needed a try and penalty by full back Craig Stephenson to see Westoe home.

With a game in hand, they are two points behind Morpeth and one behind Redcar, whose challenge continued to fade with a 22-ten defeat at Northern.

In Yorkshire Two Northallerton lost 8-3 at Skipton