THE boot was on the other foot as the ill-discipline which has plagued Darlington afflicted Horden and left them on the receiving end of an unflattering scoreline.

The visitors played well for 55 minutes and were threatening to overhaul a 12-7 half-time deficit until Richard Snowball went off with a cut lip.

Perhaps Darlington are too reliant on their star man because the rest lifted their game on his departure and Horden began to give away more penalties.

While Darlington reduced their penalty count from 22 the previous week to eight, Horden conceded 17 and the result was that they were under increasing pressure in the last 25 minutes.

Two tries in injury time produced a misleading scoreline, but perhaps reflected that Darlington were able to play with more freedom once the all-important fourth try was in the bag.

The bonus point maintained their four-point lead at the top of Durham and Northumberland One and they will hope to be back to full strength for the crucial visit of Hartlepool Rovers in two weeks.

They were without influential No 8 Kris Ward because of a neck problem and also missed hooker Rob Goddard as they struggled at the line-out in the first half, prompting one wag to compare them with the Bolshoi Ballet.

With Matthew Higgins coming in at blind side, Snowball switched to No 8 but is still feeling his way gradually into the season.

Open side Richard Parker began to win some line-out ball after Snowball departed, while giant lock Chris Oakley is beginning to punch his weight.

The return from injury of scrum half Mark Baldwin made a difference as his quickly-taken penalties produced the first two tries.

Horden scored first, however, when they drove a line-out on the right then moved the ball smartly left for winger David Mason to race over. Lively full back Graham Hughes added a good conversion.

Darlington hit back quickly when Baldwin fed Andy Pugh on the 22 and the slippery centre jinked past two tackles to score.

Baldwin scored the second himself, skipping over from ten metres after 29 minutes but the next three penalties were kicked to the corner with every expectation that the good old catch-and-drive would produce a try. That it didn't was because the ball was never won cleanly.

The contest remained evenly balanced until Pugh's class set up a try after 58 minutes. From line-out possession he made an outside break and found right winger David Mackfall, who produced an excellent finish by stepping inside to go over by the posts.

Henry Carver added his second conversion then the fourth try came ten minutes later with skipper Steve Taylor featuring in a move up the left which was finished by replacement full back Aaron McNeilly.

Carver converted from the touchline then made the breaks which led to the final two tries, scored by Mackfall and fellow winger Mark Sowerby.