TYNEDALE’S trip to Cornwall ended in disappointment when they surrendered a 17-13 lead at Launceston by losing the ball on the home 22 and allowing a winger to race 70 metres to score, writes TIM WELLOCK.

The try was converted by Tony Yapp, who added a last-minute penalty for a tally of 13 points in a 23-17 win after Tynedale won the try-count 3-2. Centre Jack Harrison, flanker Grant Rastall and winger Peter Cole touched down, with debutant Ashley Smith adding one conversion.

Westoe moved into mid-table in National Two North with a 33-17 home win against Kendal, based on a strong opening in which fluent attacks brought three tries.

Fly half Charlie Rayner burst over by the posts, then added the conversion and two penalties before centre James Clark and scrum half Peter Phelan touched down for a 23-0 lead.

Centre Dan Rayson and prop Gareth Nesbitt scored the other tries before Kendal fought back.

With Morley toppling Stockport from top spot in Three North, Middlesbrough are second on points difference after winning a dour game 15-7 at West Hartlepool.

After a scoreless first half Boro winger Paul Norris caught the kick-off and after four phases centre Rob Bellerby scored in the right corner.

Simon O’Farrell converted and added a penalty before No 8 Richie Barker, back after a four-week absence, went on for the last half hour.

Boro scored again when they worked the ball through the forwards and lock Iain Bradford touched down. West were awarded a penalty try but slipped into next to bottom spot.

Darlington Mowden Park had to be content with a losing bonus point from a 25-21 defeat at Birkenhead Park after fighting back strongly from 19-0 down after 20 minutes.

Mowden got their noses in front with eight minutes to go, but the hosts refused to be beaten and clinched victory with two penalties.

Dan Squire, Graeme Seddon and Dan Miller starred up front for Mowden, while Ryan Painter, Dean Kelbrick and Charlie Massarella were always threatening in the backs.

Flanker Andrew Tonkin was sin-binned after five minutes, when he was deemed to be over vigorous in clearing an opponent out of a ruck.

Birkenhead cut through in the centre to score their three tries before the Mowden forwards began to get on top of bigger opponents, with Seddon winning turnovers.

A strong run by Massarella, supported by Danny Brown, led to a scrum near the line and after a pick-up by No 8 Tom Wilkinson, Painter sent winger Alan Jones over.

Just before half-time fly half Richie Young added a penalty and on the resumption he side-stepped the full back to score after Kelbrick and fellow centre Ian Hodgson made good ground.

With the forwards now more vibrant, Mowden were dominant and Kelbrick cut through again to send winger Matt Lister on a 30-metre run to the line.

Young’s second penalty put Mowden 21-19 in front, but Birkenhead came back strongly and when a centre broke strongly Tonkin was penalised for a high tackle and the hosts went back in front.

From the restart they drove up the middle and Mowden were penalised again, allowing the home kicker to put the seal on their victory.

Billingham made it 342 points in six games in North One East with a 59-0 home win against Gateshead, while the battle between their nearest challengers produced a 29-6 home win for Sandal against Hartlepool Rovers, who trailed 24-3 at half-time.

Darlington are sixth after a 19-17 home win against Driffield which featured none of the Richardson brothers after Sean pulled out with flu. Rory Wood proved an excellent deputy at scrum half, but will not be available again.

Fijian army man Aquila Tutora is back with the club and had to go on from the bench after less than a minute.

Driffield scored from the first and last moves of the game, the opening try coming when Sean McCartney suffered a cut eye in trying to stop his opposite man. Aquila went on for Mc- Cartney and played well.

Two Nick Baldwin penalties put Darlington ahead and after 20 minutes they ran the ball from their own 22 and prop Bill Smith gave an excellent pass to winger Danny Anderson, who beat two men to score.

Baldwin converted but a soft try cut the gap to 13-10 at half-time before Baldwin made it five out of five successful kicks with two more penalties. Lock Steve Taylor played well for Darlington, who renew old rivalries this week at Durham City. After a slow start to the season, City won 34-14 at Carlisle, where Darlington lost three weeks ago.

Stockton’s new winger Mark Shires took his try tally to seven in three games when he bagged a brace in a 41-8 home win against Ryton.

Fly half Jeremy Good scored 14 points from a try, a penalty and three conversions and also made the breaks for two tries. No 8 Phil Douglas, centre Craig Slaughter and scrum half Rob Green also touched down.