WINGER Paul Beattie marked his return to the Darlington side with a club record of six tries in Saturday's 105-0 win at home to West Park Bramhope.

Although the total fell just short of the 107-8 win against Keighley two years ago, the margin was also a club record in league rugby.

It was quite a contrast from the tough preparation Blaydon endured ahead of their meeting with Darlington in next Saturday's Durham Cup final at Durham City.

The Tynesiders trailed 14-12 at home to Macclesfield before a late burst of scoring by fly half David Dalrymple guided them to 23-14 win.

Darlington skipper David Andrew said: "As preparation for playing Blaydon such a one-sided game wasn't of much value, but at least it keeps us in a positive frame of mind.

"We expect Blaydon will try to beat us by playing a tight game, but we have coped with that a few times this season.

"We were underdogs against Mowden Park but collectively, as a club, we were better than them on the day."

With the Durham selectors present, Andrew announced that he would not be available for county matches because of his marketing work for a York-based company.

"I probably wouldn't be able to get to training," he said. "It's not so bad if you're a winger, but as a scrum half you need to be fully involved in the preparations."

The rest of the Darlington players are available, but the fixture chaos has meant that neither Blaydon nor Mowden have been able to confirm their players' availability.

With the first match against Leicestershire at Syston two weeks today, Durham are looking to blood a few youngsters.

That means there's no place for Bryan Dixon, who tasted County Championship glory with Durham at Twickenham 12 years ago.

But he showed against West Park that he's still a combative driving force, scoring twice in a second half which produced 66 points.

Already relegated from North Two East, the Leeds club showed little appetite for the fray. They fielded a prop who made his opposite number, Dan Miller, look like Twiggy, yet Miller gave him a torrid time in the scrums and twice delighted the fans with what is becoming his trademark - making ten yards on his knees.

Paul Lee hopes to be fit for the cup final, but in his absence his brother Craig played at fly half and scored four tries.

No 8 Del Lewis revelled in the freedom, setting up the first try for flanker Martin Howe. But after that, Dixon apart, all the tries came from the backs.

David Glendenning scored two, and Marc Potts and Mark Butler one each. Potts briefly took over the goal-kicking in the second half and landed two well-struck conversions before being substituted by Simon White.

Beattie, who had scored five tries in a second team match during his comeback from a hand injury, did not get on to the scoresheet until two minutes before the interval.

But with most of the traffic going left after the break he raced over for three of the next four tries before, at 65-0, West Park rallied for the only time in the match and several times drove for the line.

Six tries then followed in 15 minutes, Beattie racing round behind the posts to bring up the hundred.

With Mowden left idle by Hull Ionians' shock decision not to travel because of foot and mouth, Blaydon moved level on points at the top of North One.

Mowden have a game in hand and remain ahead on points difference, but that will count for nothing if the table is decided on a percentage basis.

Wigton have told the RFU they will not be able to play again this season and if Hull don't relent Mowden will be unable to fulfil three of their fixtures.

Blaydon's programme over the next five weeks reads: county cup final, Bradford and Bingley away, Intermediate Cup final, Chester away, Sheffield away.

They have offered to visit Mowden on May 8 or 9, although the 12th is now a possibility as they had pencilled in Wigton for that date. The promotion play-off is on the 19th.

Dalrymple landed two penalties and converted his own try to secure the win against Macclesfield, centre Dean Michniewicz and scrum half Andy Foreman scoring Blaydon's other tries.

A Jeremy Good penalty had Stockton level at 3-3 against Bradford and Bingley before they were overpowered in a 38-3 defeat.

West Hartlepool went agonisingly close to their first league points of the season before they were denied by a try in the third minute of injury time at home to Camberley.

The Surrey club won 21-17 after West had led 14-0 through tries by full back Mark Laycock and hooker Carl Robinson, converted by John Stabler.

They conceded a converted try in first half injury time but a Stabler penalty stretched the lead before Camberley began their fightback, ending with a tap penalty try.

Despite the loss of player-coach Garry Schofield, Redcar ruined Halifax's 100 per cent record in North Two East by coming back from 20-3 down at half-time to draw 20-20.

Schofield has taken a job in London, so Gareth Foreman played at fly half and centre Andy Dean was prominent in the fightback with two penalties and two conversions. One of the tries was scored by former West Hartlepool prop Paul Beal.

Ponteland added to the inconsistencies surrounding foot and mouth restrictions by resuming fixtures and their 22-10 win against West Hartlepool Amateurs hotted up the four-horse race at the top of D and N Division Three.

Barnard Castle lead Seaton Carew and Guisborough on points difference after a 60-5 win against Jarrovians, with Ponteland two points behind with games in hand.

Northallerton ensured a mid-table finish in Yorkshire Two with a 31-14 home win against Bradford Salem.

* Durham School lost 18-0 to Campion in the Under 18 Schools Cup final at Twickenham.