SKIPPER David Glendenning contributed 28 points as Darlington returned to their free-scoring ways with a 63-8 win at home to Bradford and Bingley.

The victory moved them up to fourth in North One, the same position as Mowden Park still occupy in National Three North after losing 43-31 at home to leaders Dudley Kingswinford.

Mowden's desperate struggle to win any line-out ball, plus a lack of organisation in their midfield defence, proved their undoing.

Darlington have the highest points tally in their division with 244 after Glendenning scored three of their ten tries on Saturday and added five conversions after starting the scoring with a penalty.

The two early season recruits from Hartlepool Rovers also showed they have bridged the gap of two divisions as lock Mark Power was much in evidence and winger Frankie Coulson regularly beat opponents and was rewarded with two tries.

With John Whitehouse on the flank, Bryan Dixon switched to No 8 and drove over for the first try, but the lead was only 10-5 after an even 25 minutes.

Darlington then began to dominate and Glendenning took an inside pass to burst through the middle on an angled run which took him under the posts.

In a good move up the left, debutant winger Ben Usher made good ground before a well-timed inside pass sent Paul Lee over to make it 22-8 at half-time.

Lee scored again after good linking with the forwards then a penalty try was awarded when Martin Howe was stopped by a high tackle just short of the line.

Dan Miller went on at hooker for Dan Osleton and drove over for the next try before Coulson and Glendenning both scored two in quick succession. The captain sold the perfect dummy to complete his hat-trick.

It was almost a repeat of the previous week's cup defeat by Manchester for Mowden as they trailed 21-7, got it back to 21-21 at half-time then lost momentum through their own mistakes.

These included kick-offs straight into touch and at one point kicking a penalty to the corner when they had a strong edge in the scrums but couldn't win any line-out ball.

Unlike in their cup defeat at Mowden, Dudley had their first-choice scrum half available and his fast, accurate pass brought the best out of backs whose handling was excellent throughout.

Injured full back Kevin McCallum's defensive organisation was missed as Dudley scored four tries by breaking through the middle from their own half.

McCallum's replacement, Stuart Keelan, put Steve Jones away in the build-up to Mowden's first try. The winger was dragged down when he tried to come inside, but Tony Irwin followed up to score and Kevan Oliphant converted from near the touchline.

That made it 7-7, but a tap penalty in their own half led to Dudley's next try and they scored again straight from the restart.

Mowden then began to apply pressure up front and Danny Brown, again doing well at tight head, took a quick penalty and went through a gap from 15 metres.

Scrum half Richard Woollam broke from a ruck to send centre Jonny Golightly over and Oliphant followed his third coversion with a penalty to put Mowden ahead three minutes after the interval.

But Dudley quickly equalised then scored three tries from line-outs, two of them on Mowden's throw.

Mowden sent on Jonny Wilkinson's brother, Mark, at centre for the last ten minutes and Dave Sinclair also went on to score the final try.

Blaydon moved up to fifth when four tries by scrum half Andy Foreman swept them to a 44-27 win at home to bottom club West Hartlepool.

West started and finished the stronger side, but went 30-3 down before centre Mark Thompson scored two tries, both converted by Michael Walton.

To add to West's troubles, skipper Brett Cullinane was sent off towards the end along with home lock David Falconer.

They were trading punches just as scrum half David Tighe was scoring West's third try and they also scored at the death through Andrew Lilley.

But the fightback came too late as James Lofthouse converted four of Blaydon's six tries and added two penalties.

Unable to hold down a regular place, Foreman's jinking runs proved too much for West as he twice ran in from halfway. The other tries came from wingers Rhys Bennett and James O'Malley.

Middlesbrough's struggles continued with a 26-11 home defeat by Macclesfield in North One. Boro were the better side for 20 minutes but led only 6-0 and after it became 6-6 at half-time they were unable to get back in the game.

Possession dried up, Boro never got the ball to the wings and they weren't helped when teenage fly half Steve Jones went off injured, forcing Jon Wrigley to switch to No 10. Replacement scrum half Rob Green scored a good individual try from 30 metres at the end.

Leaders Cleckheaton dropped their first point in North Two East when they were held 15-15 at Redcar. Lock Carl Leach followed up to score for Redcar when scrum half Matt Hemingway was stopped short. Back row man Ronnie Stocks also scored with Gareth Foreman adding a conversion and a penalty.

Stockton slipped to mid-table when they lost 33-17 at Goole after leading 10-0. Joe Green, who had to play on the wing, scored a try, which Dave Turner converted to add to his early penalty.

But in the last five minutes of the first half Goole reduced the gap to 10-8 then forged ahead. Stockton scored a breakaway try at the death, touched down by Keith Etherington.

In Durham and Northumberland Division One Percy Park maintained their 100 per cent record with a 39-3 win at Consett and Horden remain second after trouncing Gosforth 53-12. Full back Paul Brace scored 27 points from four tries, a penalty and two conversions.

Durham City are third after a 36-22 win at Ryton, and Billingham came back from 14-0 down to win 26-25 at Hartlepool Rovers through a late penalty by Duane Revill. Alex Garbutt scored two tries for Billingham and Simon Rutherford had two for Rovers.

Northallerton eased their worries in Yorkshire Two when they won 31-17 at home to Castleford. Winger Matthew Bell scored twice and they were awarded a penalty try, while Ed Bulman kicked four penalties and two conversions.

In the D and N Division Three derby, Newton Aycliffe lost 36-9 at home to Bishop Auckland.

Good tackling kept Bishops out early on and Aycliffe went ahead with two penalties, only for three from Ian Campbell to put the visitors 9-6 up at the break.

He took his tally to 21 points with a try, a fourth penalty and two conversions, while Blanch, Sayer and Oxley also scored