West Hartlepool conceded more points than ever before when they lost 95-13 at Doncaster on a day when the gulf between top and bottom was emphasised in National Division Three North.

All West currently have to look forward to is the December 15 visit of the team just above them, Sandal, who lost 71-0 at home to leaders Dudley Kingswinford.

Without suspended skipper Brett Cullinane, plus six other players from the previous week, West did well to get a team on the field.

It wasn't quite their biggest margin of defeat as they lost 92-0 at Kendal last season.

Former Leicester full back John Liley converted ten of Doncaster's 15 tries, six of which came from winger Jon Storey. They led 83-6 before scrum half David Tighe burst clear for West's try, which Michael Walton converted to add to his two penalties.

Tynedale, who visit Mowden Park this week, moved into mid-table despite failing to impress in an 18-6 home win against Whitchurch, where Mowden won 33-6 last week.

The Shropshire side led 6-3 at half-time after Tynedale missed several penalties, but the home forwards got on top, driving over for two tries while winger Craig Johnston scored a third.

Northern's 33-7 defeat at Aspatria left Alnwick as the only North-East survivors in the fifth round of the Intermediate Cup following a 25-23 win at Carlisle. They scored the winning try in the ninth minute of injury time.

Novos were left to fly the region's flag in the National Junior Cup, winning 27-17 at Blyth. The hosts turned a 10-0 deficit into a 12-10 lead early in the second half, but Novos added three more tries.

Darlington won their friendly at home to Hartlepool Rovers 55-17 after leading 36-0 three minutes into the second half.

There were two tries each for former Rovers players, winger Frankie Coulson and full back David Glendenning, who added six conversions and a penalty for a tally of 20 points.

Replacement hooker Rob Goddard scored two second half tries, while Ben Usher, Richard Snowball and Joe Osleton also touched down.

Middlesbrough's match at Otley was cancelled, so winger Wes Henry played at scrum half for the seconds at Guisborough and scored three tries in a 21-17 defeat.