Darlington proved they are worthy of fourth place in National Three North as they controlled the second half in the best game seen at Blackwell Meadows this season.

Whether they are good enough to stand any higher will be discovered with trips to Bradford and Bingley this week and Blaydon next month, but they can reflect that they would currently be top if they had a goal-kicker.

They knew they wouldn't beat Tynedale if it came down to goal-kicking and things were looking ominous when Phil Belgian's third penalty put his side 16-15 ahead at the interval.

But the Darlington forwards moved up a gear and they got the whole team involved, proving they don't have to rely on the driving maul, which Tynedale were adept at stopping.

The league's leading try scorers again secured a bonus point for grabbing four, and although three came from the forwards one was a cracker set up by the backs.

It was finished from 20 metres by lock Stuart Palmer and there cannot be many more mobile second row pairings than the ex-Hartlepool lad and Richard Snowball. Speedy new centre Richard Lightwing also had a try ruled out for a forward pass.

The visitors had the stronger scrum in the first half, when Darlington were often grateful for No 8 Alan Brown's control as they went backwards. With Tynedale also keen to show their paces, honours were even in a keenly-contested 40 minutes.

But once Darlington went ahead five minutes after the break through Brown's 12th try of the season their all-round sharpness and increasingly impressive defence held sway.

They were never breached after the fifth minute, when they were cut open by full back Will Massey taking a long pass at pace at outside centre. He stepped inside a tackle and raced 40 metres to the posts for his seventh try of the season.

Belgian converted but within two minutes Darlington also struck from long range when slick handling on the short side of a ruck gave right winger Frankie Coulson just enough space.

He cut inside but should have been stopped before changing direction again to shrug off two more tackles and score near the corner.

The lead kept changing hands as more Darlington pressure resulted in a simple penalty for Craig Lee, then Belgian replied with the first of two 40-metre efforts.

Inbetween came Palmer's try, which stemmed from a quick pass from young centre Phil Dawson allowing Coulson to commit several defenders before half backs David Andrew and Lee probed the blind side.

Palmer ran on to Lee's lovely inside pass to find he had a clear run and he went round behind the posts for Lee's conversion to make it 15-10.

Darlington were not happy about some of the penalties given against them, but after Belgian struck again they spoke once too often to the referee after he had awarded them a penalty, which should have allowed them to relieve pressure just inside their 22.

There was a delay as Craig Lee needed to go off for a blood injury and during that time something was said which persuaded the referee to reverse the penalty, allowing Belgian to put his side back in front.

He didn't come out for the second half, but as they were rarely out of their own territory the only kickable penalties Tynedale were awarded came in the last five minutes, when they attempted to go for tries and were kept out by excellent defence.

The home pack were quickly on top after half-time and after two mauls were pulled down Tynedale prop Douglas Jupp was sin-binned. A five-metre scrum followed and Darlington drove almost to the line for Brown to pick up and score, Lee converting.

He added a penalty after his own break saw Dawson stopped just short of the posts and the final try came with ten minutes left.

After two penalties were awarded in the right corner, Martin Howe almost getting over from the second, the ball was moved left, where winger Simon Crozier set up a ruck and Snowball forced his way over.

Tynedale had a couple of late chances, but Darlington almost scored again when they turned the ball over on halfway and a quick blind-side pass by Andrew set Coulson away. He got within ten metres before Tynedale's young fly half Gavin Beasley cut him down.

Result: Darlington 30, Tynedale 16.