DARLINGTON Mowden Park can be confident of a swift return to level four status next season if they survive the summer unscathed and reproduce their form of the last month.

Saturday’s 32-15 win against Preston Grasshoppers made it three wins, a draw and a narrow defeat away to the National Three North champions, Nuneaton, hinting at the sort of form which should be good enough when they revert to playing West Hartlepool and Middlesbrough next season.

Secretary Kevin Robinson said: “We can’t take anything for granted just because we are dropping down a league.

There are some good teams with proud histories in there.

“But our plans are well advanced and we are a lot healthier than we were at this time last year, when we had fewer than half a dozen players to call out own.”

Mowden completed their home programme in National Three North with an impressive win. Scrum-half Martyn Lithgo was man of the match, scoring two tries as Mowden came back from 10-3 down to draw level at half-time and dominate the second half.

They more than held their own against a big, physical pack and were stronger in open play. Lithgo broke from the base of a scrum and sidestepped the full back to score the try which made it 10-10 at the break.

With a view to next season, Mowden sent Gavin Painter on from the bench to try him at fly half and he sent winger Matt Goforth over following a ten-man move.

Replacement prop Ralph Appleby finished a series of drives for his first National League try and Lithgo again beat the full back to score his second, earning a four-try bonus point.

Mowden added two penalties and three conversions, with Ben Snook going on at full back to take over the kicking from Jon Benson in the second half.

Blaydon ended their season with a 42-7 defeat at Stourbridge, where one of the few plus points was the debut of scrum half Duncan Pollock, son of former Scotland international Jim Pollock.

One of this season’s star finds, back five forward Steve Trench, scored Blaydon’s try early in the second half following a counter-attack from their own 22. But hopes of fighting back from a 12-0 deficit were quickly dashed.

Former Mowden and Blaydon player Eni Gesinde, who has spent most of the season with Tynedale, is looking for a National One club after being released by Newcastle Falcons.

After coming through the academy, the athletic 26-yearold back row forward made eight first team starts for the Falcons two seasons ago. But his lack of beef counted against him and he hasn’t featured since.

■ Durham’s campaign in the County Championship Plate got off to a stuttering start with a 26-26 draw against Notts, Lincs and Derby at Gateshead.

Two tries by West Hartlepool full back Iain Dixon, plus one each by back row men Phil Eggleshaw and Lewis Calder, helped Durham into a 23-16 lead at half-time.

Fly-half Matthew Gupta added his second penalty before Durham University forward Alex Waddingham was sent off for his second yellow card offence and the visitors made their numerical advantage count.