BOTH Darlington clubs topped 40 points in their new divisions on Saturday, while there were further setbacks for West Hartlepool, Blaydon and Middlesbrough.

Mowden Park are one of four teams in National Three North with four points from two games after a 41-0 home win against Sandal.

They improved on the previous week, with Tasi Tuhana, Darren McKinnon and Ian James starring up front, while full back Kevin McCallum also shone.

The defence was watertight, the powerful line-out driving produced four tries and Mowden might have won even more easily but for some over-elaboration in the second half.

Matt Howland came off the left wing to score after a 20-metre line-out drive and he scored the second try after McCallum raced 50 metres on an overlap.

McCallum supported a break from his own half by Kevan Oliphant to set up a try for Anthony Elwine and just before half-time Tuhana finished off another line-out drive.

Two conversions by Oliphant made it 24-0 at half-time but with the wind behind them Mowden dropped a lot of passes.

Line-out drives produced further tries for McKinnon and scrum half Richard Woollam, then replacement fly half Jonny Golightly danced through to score, with Mark Bedworth converting.

Also on four points are Liverpool St Helens, who won 42-22 at Blaydon. The try count was 5-4, but the visitors had a big advantage in the kicking of their fly half, which earned 17 points.

Tries by centre Barney Vorster and Iain Dixon kept Blaydon well in the hunt at half-time, but they were sunk by three tries in the next 20 minutes.

Two late tries by replacement winger Graeme Spearman, plus the only conversion from new fly half Sam Howe, were scant consolation as Blaydon celebrated the 50th anniversary of their first match at Crow Trees.

Hopes that West Hartlepool's crash would bottom out in Three North looked ill founded as they were thrashed 50-15 at home to Morley, who had scraped home by one point the previous week.

Centre Alistair Sherlock had two of Morley's six tries in his tally of 27 points and they led 30-3 at half-time then went further ahead before centre Jamie Connolly scored two tries for West. Michael Walton kicked a conversion and a penalty.

Darlington marked their North One debut with a 45-12 win at Driffield, who had not suffered such a heavy home defeat for several years.

Making his first appearance of the season, skipper David Glendenning scored two of the seven tries and kicked well to land five conversions.

At 30-12 early in the second half Darlington played 30 minutes of risky rugby without reward, but they then scored three tries in the last five minutes.

They had early problems through being penalised at the line-out, which led to both of Driffield's first half tries.

Newcomer Ian Todd played his part in a good back row performance, with his former Stockton teammate Martin Howe scoring two tries.

Prop Phil Lancaster appeared in the line to score from five metres, while fly half Paul Lee evaded two tackles to score and laid on the last try with a well-weighted kick for winger Paul Beattie to touch down.

Middlesbrough lost 28-24 at home to Hull Ionians. The late cry-offs of Steve Graham and Ashley Parker forced a reshuffle which saw Jon Wrigley go to centre with winger Peter Van Loo and scrum half Rob Green making their debuts.

Boro had some problems in the scrums, but their line-out was good and they lost through making more mistakes.

A Wrigley try, converted by Ian Wilson levelled the score at 7-7 but Hull were never behind.

Despite another Boro try by prop Phil Adamson after good forward work, the visitors led 22-14 at half-time and penalties were traded to make it 28-17 before Green ran in from 25 yards.

Wrigley converted, having taken over following two misses by Wilson.

Westoe's bubble burst as they began life in North Two East with a 35-0 defeat at Redcar, who scored tries through flanker Nathan Fahey (two), centre Andy McIntee and fly half Gareth Foreman, who added three penalties and three conversions.

In the battle of the two relegated clubs, Stockton won 31-15 at home to Northern.

After their climb from Durham and Northumberland Division Four, Gosforth began life in division one by coming back from 30-10 down to win 34-30 at home to Hartlepool Rovers. Ross Wilkinson, a former captain of the Newcastle Gosforth club, scored two tries.