WHILE Darlington look increasingly capable of clinching a North One promotion play-off spot, Middlesbrough are heading in the opposite direction.

Unless Boro win away to relegation rivals Bradford and Bingley next Saturday, things will begin to look very bleak, and Bradford are reputed to have strengthened their side recently.

Looking no nearer to achieving midfield fluency, it is a mystery where Boro can turn for salvation. It must be galling to know that their old boys Shaun Cassidy, Tom McGrath and even former England fly half Alan Old are working the oracle at Acklam, while Boro suffer a hammering against a club who traditionally have not been in the same league.

It was 5-5 at half-time and after turning round to face the wind Boro quickly went 15-5 down before raising their game gallantly.

But a ten-minute purple patch from flanker Martin Howe broke their resistance as Darlington scored four tries in the last 15 minutes.

They now have two games in hand and are four points behind leaders Hull Ionians, whose match at Bradford was postponed.

Halifax, favourites for the automatic promotion spot, won their National Intermediate Cup quarter-final 20-19 at home to Richmond, while Sheffield lost and will therefore be available to entertain Darlington on March 9.

The run of games which takes in Halifax away in two weeks, then Hull at home followed by Sheffield, will be crucial for Darlington and they are hoping Rob Stewart survives a disciplinary hearing to be available throughout, especially as David Andrew has resigned himself to not playing again this season.

Stewart was pivotal as Darlington used their superior possession to prevent Boro from gaining the first half cushion they desperately needed.

Although skipper Richard McRae put in some good work, the Boro back row never got to grips with Stewart.

Nor did they use the wind to best effect, even after a kick ahead helped them to go 5-0 up when Tom Lauriston followed up to catch first Mark Butler then Marc Potts in possession.

Darlington were driven backwards at a scrum under the posts and after Jon Wrigley narrowly failed to make the line John Dixon followed up to rumble over.

But the next time Boro had the chance to do something similar they won the heel and were then pushed off the ball at a five-metre scrum.

Inbetween Darlington had come back with a series of pick-and-drives, which created the space for Paul Lee to put Potts over in the right corner.

With Wrigley, who had taken an early knock, staying off at half-time, Boro had to switch Danny Poole from wing to scrum half and he showed some lively touches when they began to win better ball.

But they never looked likely to find a way back once Potts kicked a 45-metre penalty and Paul Lee's clever inside chip came gently to rest over the line with Howe racing through unchallenged to touch down.

A good run by Boro's flying left winger Wes Henry was ended only when Butler bundled him into touch, but midway through the half Potts landed another penalty after a line-out infringement.

Then Howe capitalised on Boro's sagging spirits to burst on to a short pass from Craig Lee in midfield and score by the posts.

The flanker then broke away up the left touchline from halfway, sold an exquisite dummy to beat one man and passed inside for Simon White to score.

Forced into a further reshuffle when centre Lauriston went off and prop Phil Adamson came on, Boro managed a brief surge when two quickly-taken penalties saw lock Ian Robinson go over, with Andy Dean converting.

But Darlington came back with late tries by Craig Lee and winger Frankie Coulson, the latter following a good run by lock Mark Power. Potts added his third conversion from near the right touchline.

The county selectors were present and enquired whether Craig Lee and Phil Lancaster might be available to help with the coaching.

But with a three-match backlog to make up, and their sights on that promotion play-off, the Darlington player-coaches are going to have their hands full until at least the end of April