BLAYDON cruised into the last 16 of the Intermediate Cup, despite easing off in a 39-20 win at home to Old Laurentians in the fifth round.

With Wigton and Bradford and Bingley being knocked out, Blaydon's greatest fear is being drawn away to the only other survivors from North One, Sheffield.

Six first half tries, with two each for flanker Tim Russell and full back Gareth King, put Blaydon 36-0 ahead before they went off the boil.

Centre John Marriott also raced over from 60 metres and winger Graeme Spearman scored from close range, with fly half Ryan Roberts adding three conversions and a late penalty.

One of the few bright spots for West Hartlepool this season has been the emergence of exciting young full back Mark Laycock, who set up their only try in a 58-8 defeat at Lydney.

As the hosts were previously second bottom, this result confirmed that there can be no escape for West, who will be joining Tynedale and Darlington Mowden Park in National Three North next season.

The try was scored by debutant Greg Clark as West enjoyed a brief resurgence after going 17-0 down in nine minutes.

Tynedale should hang on in Three North, despite a 20-10 defeat at home to Nuneaton leaving them sixth from the bottom. Tynedale's efforts to overturn a 13-0 deficit with the wind behind them produced only one try from winger Dominic Fitzgerald.

Mowden are only two points behind North One leaders Blaydon with two games in hand after a first half hat-trick by winger Kevin McCallum helped them to a 57-6 win at Stockton.

Although Stockton's heads never dropped, the Mowden forwards played well, with Tony Irwin outstanding and Jason Malcolm doing well at the line-out.

In contrast to the earlier meeting at Mowden, when two Stockton players were sent off, this time there were only two sin-binnings with Mowden's Dave Sinclair and Ian James sepnding ten minutes in the cooler.

While Jonny Golightly did well in McCallum's normal position at full back, blind side moves gave McCallum the first two tries, both converted by Kevan Oliphant, in the first ten minutes.

Jeremy Good kicked two penalties for Stockton, but was then handed off by Mick Kent on his way to the corner and McCallum burst through in the centre to make it 24-6 at half-time.

Stockton stuck to their task up the slope, but two tries for centre Mark Bedworth and one each for scrum half Will Green, Kent and replacement hooker Danny Brown brought up another half-century for Mowden.

Middlesbrough slipped back into the bottom three, going below Wigton on points difference, when they lost 31-5 at Hull Ionians.

With their front row already depleted, Boro had to bring in hooker Andrew Catterson as a late replacement and a boot in the eye forced him off after 15 minutes.

The reshuffle left them up against it and they faded badly after Ben Pattison was driven over to reduce the 13-0 half-time deficit.

Redcar's surprise 23-17 defeat at home to Beverley left Darlington looking very secure in second place in North Two East after a 25-10 win at Old Crossleyans.

On a very muddy pitch they dominated the first ten minutes but after David Glendenning kicked a penalty they allowed the hosts to break away and went 10-3 down.

With the Darlington forwards continually driving straight down the field, they eventually created space for Mark Butler to score then Del Lewis sent Craig Lee over.

Martin Howe scored near the posts 15 minutes into the second half, Glendenning converting, and with ten minutes left Butler ran 50 metres and kicked to the corner, where hooker Rob Goddard was driven over.

Winger Mark Olugbode has quit West Hartlepool and returned to Westoe, where he was among the scorers as the hosts kept their 100 per cent record in Durham and Northumberland One with a 31-10 win against West Hartlepool TDSOB.

Gosforth lost their 100 per cent record in Division Two when they lost 16-8 at second-placed North Shields, while in Division Three Bishop Auckland moved into fifth place when an injury time try by winger Steve Hargreaves gave them a 22-21 home win against leaders Seaton Carew.

Bishops came back from 21-3 down with tries by Perkins and Blanch, both converted by Ian Campbell, who also kicked their first half penalty.

Scarborough remain top of Yorkshire Two after a 39-0 home win against Leodiensians, but Northallerton remain in relegation trouble after an Ed Bulman penalty provided their only points in an 11-3 defeat at Sheffield Tigers.