THERE was more entertainment in the first 20 minutes of this match than I have seen in the Guinness Premiership all season.
Newcastle boss Rob Andrew is right when he says the sterile rugby being played among the top clubs is bound to affect the England team, as the Calcutta Cup showed.
Obviously defences are not so well-organised in National Three North and there is not so much cynical slowing down of the ball, but fans who want to see an agreeable blend of tries and physical combat will find more pleasure at this level of the game.
Darlington were superb in the opening quarter and with the visitors also contributing an excellent try the score was 18-7.
It couldn't last on a wet pitch which cut up as more rain fell on it, especially as the Grasshoppers transformed into mudlarks and tried to cash in on their stronger scrummaging.
They got the gap down to one point with 20 minutes left, which meant that late drama completed the entertainment package.
Just as they did after seeing their lead overhauled at Hull two weeks ago, Darlington came back well to kick a penalty then score a minute from the end of normal time.
It meant they drew level on points with their visitors in joint fourth place as Simon Crozier's touchdown gave them the four-try bonus and also denied Preston a bonus point for losing by seven or fewer.
There was a try each for National Three North's top two, home No 8 Alan Brown taking his tally to 20 to stay two ahead of Preston's Oliver Viney.
Darlington's early lead stemmed from high-speed recycling, with players running on to scrum half David Andrew's quick passes at pace. Runners always had support inside and out and among those who stood out were flanker Michael Taylor and lock Stuart Palmer.
Andrew came into the side when Rob Stewart suffered a broken arm, but now there is room for them both as Stewart looks the part at outside centre.
Although he never had the space to show his true paces, he looked strong and always made ground.
An inside pass to Crozier coming off the left wing sparked the first series of impressive attacks. Brown, his former Stockton teammate, took in on strongly with Taylor in support before lively right winger Adam Kibirige was tackled into the corner flag.
Seconds later Preston were offside under the posts and full back Lee Davies made it 3-0.
More quick recycling gave Kibirige another run and when the ball came left Palmer, standing off from a ruck, took it at pace to crash over from 15 metres.
Davies' conversion hit the post and his next attempt fell narrowly under the bar from the left touchline after Crozier made good ground, scrambled out of a tackle and handed on to Brown for a simple touchdown.
Trailing 13-0 and barely having had a sniff of the ball, Preston got into the game when Darlington were penalised for crossing in their own half.
The penalty was kicked to touch and from the line-out the visitors' right winger came across at pace to split the defence down the middle and send full back Owen McKenna over.
The restart was mishit and Preston hung back thinking it wouldn't go ten metres, but when it did Darlington hacked on then moved it right and fly half Paul Lee glided through a gap to score.
With the wind behind them in the second half, Darlington put themselves under pressure by sending the kick-off over the dead ball line.
Preston opted for a scrum back on the halfway line and built the pressure as they were awarded three penalties near the line.
They kept opting for the scrum but failed to get over and finally knocked on.
After 50 minutes, however, their fly half made a break to send Viney over from 30 metres, the conversion making it 18-12.
Darlington came back with a burst by Martin Howe ending with Stewart being stopped just short of the posts, but they were shunted off the ball at the ensuing scrum.
With 20 minutes left Preston's diminutive scrum half Darren Wilson took advantage of sloppy tackling to break on the blind side of a ruck and go past Davies on a 70-metre run to the corner.
Darlington sent on Del Lewis for Palmer and dug deep to ensure what had looked a certain win was not thrown away.
They can always fall back on the driving maul, which has served them well in recent years, and after Davies kicked a simple penalty that's what they did.
Most of the backs joined in one effort to get the maul over the line, and when the ball finally had to be released two metres short it was two on two, but Crozier skipped straight through to score by the posts.
The win took Darlington above Tynedale, the team they visit on Saturday in what promises to be another cracking game. After six successive wins, Tynedale lost 10-8 at Hull Ionians.
Result: Darlington 28, Preston Grasshoppers 17.
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