MIDDLESBROUGH recovered from an early 10-0 deficit to go back above visitors Chester into third place in National Three North with a 25-10 win.

In an excellent game with good movement and few mistakes, Boro changed tactics after conceding a penalty and a brilliant individual try by the Chester fly half.

With Richie Barker making a difference on his return to No 8, Boro took on their visitors up front and turned the tables.

Chris Horton was driven over after 24 minutes, and the pack’s domination allowed scrum half Peter Wright the space to show his paces.

His chip down the blind side was followed up by full back Jack Bircham for the second try and Boro led 12-10 at half-time.

Wright again exploited the blind side to score himself before Callum Campbell, who had kicked a penalty and a conversion, finished off a good backs move in the corner.

Westoe continued their climb up National Two North with a 28-20 win at Huddersfield, with fly half Charlie Rayner scoring the first try and converting all four.

Centre James Clark also scored in the first half, but Westoe trailed 15-14 at the break. No 8 Michael Ellery nipped over from a ruck and centre Mark Olugbode touched down the fourth try before Huddersfield scored at the death.

Darlington Mowden Park had too much pace for their visitors and ran out 34-19 winners against West Park St Helens. But the visitors belied their position at the bottom of National Three North by using their size up front to get the gap down from 22-6 to 22-19 before Mowden regained control in the last 15 minutes.

West Park kicked four penalties and converted their only try, while Mowden scored five tries with fly half Richard Young adding a penalty and three conversions.

The first try came from an excellent, flowing move and was finished off by winger Alan Jones, then after several phases prop Ralph Appleby burst through to score.

After Graham Seddon won turnover ball in midfield the ball was spun wide several times before Robin Eatough scored in the corner and Young followed his excellent conversion with a penalty just before half-time.

Mowden wasted two overlaps and their mistakes allowed West Park back into the game with a lock crashing over for a converted try, followed by two more penalties.

But a powerful run by No 8 Richard Sawyer, making an impressive debut, got Mowden going again as it produced a try for Young.

More flowing rugby set up the final score for centre Dean Kelbrick.

Martyn Lithgo made his comeback at scrum half for Mowden, but made way with 15 minutes left for Andrew Seddon, who also impressed on his debut.

West Hartlepool capitulated after a promising start at Rochdale, where they led 7-0 but lost 40-10.

Good play created an overlap for Paul Moss to score the early try, which he also converted, but after 13 minutes five missed tackles allowed a Rochdale winger to score.

This set the tone for West’s decline as poor defence saw them trail 25-10 at half-time, their only other points coming from a Phil Wallis drop goal.

Billingham just managed to hang on to their 100 per cent record in North One East with an 18-17 win at Morpeth and it now looks as though Sandal will be their only rivals.

Early season challengers Hartlepool Rovers ended a three-match losing streak with a 25-19 win at home to Darlington, who produced their poorest performance of the season in the first half.

They couldn’t win any ball and after trailing 17-0 they conceded another try a minute after the break before they woke up.

Skipper Mark Power, David Grand and Andrew Lilley scored Rovers’ first half tries and Steve Jones grabbed the fourth.

While Sean Richardson failed his fitness test for Darlington, brother Dave departed with a thigh injury after 27 minutes.

In the reshuffle Rory Wood moved out from scrum half to fly half to allow Matt Sellars to go on at No 9 and he glided through from a scrum on the 22 for the first try.

Then prop Dave Tunstead scored off the back of a ruck, and with Matthew Brown adding both conversions it was down to 22-14.

Darlington were now well on top, but they went off the boil after a mass brawl and Andrew Hall kicked a penalty for Rovers. Brown finished off a good backs move for Darlington just before the end.

Stockton led 3-0 through a Rob Green penalty at halftime at Wallsend, then surged clear to win 29-14.

Tries were scored by full back Tom Jeffery, flanker Phil Douglas, centre Simon Crozier and hooker Mark Conway, with Green adding three conversions.

Wallsend twice drove over from penalties near the line.