THE extent to which Darlington's two rugby clubs have gone their separate ways was underlined last Saturday.

While Mowden Park flew to Exeter and won their National One game at Plymouth 25-15, Darlington lost 69-5 at Middlesbrough.

Until a few years ago, the clubs were on an equal footing in National Three North, but while Mowden have gone up two levels, Darlington's third relegation seems inevitable.

A decision to end payments to players in order to balance the books began the slide and attempts to reach a ground-sharing agreement with Darlington FC have alienated a lot of stalwarts.

They are having to rely on young and inexperienced players, who deserve credit for sticking at it while running up a points deficit of minus 420 in losing the first ten games.

They will have a better chance of being competitive tomorrow at home to old rivals Hartlepool Rovers, who are also a shadow of their former selves.

Darlington were in the game at Acklam Park when a catch-and-drive try made it 19-5 at half-time, but it was all downhill once they faced the wind.

Lock James Wardle led Boro's 11-try romp with a hat-trick and winger Rhys Kilbride bagged a brace as four tries were scored in the last 12 minutes.

Mowden will hope that the win at Plymouth launches a climb up the table as they have a good chance of another victory tomorrow at home to Hull Ionians.

Having started the match one point above the bottom club, they leapfrogged declining Henley and Wharfedale as they felt the benefits of a settled pack.

After trailing to a sixth-minute converted try, the forwards dominated their hosts in wet and windy conditions and scrum half Bruno Bravo helped to keep them on the front foot.

The only change from the side which lost by one point to Richmond saw Ed Coulson, on loan from Newcastle, come in at full back for Tomas Appleton, who was playing for Portugal in Hong Kong.

Garry Law kicked a penalty and made a break to send one of Mowden's five ex-Plymouth players, winger Jake Henry, sprinting in from halfway for an 8-7 lead.

No 8 Ollie Hodgson was sin-binned for the second successive week, but they held out during his absence just before half-time.

An interception try put Plymouth back in front four minutes after the interval, but the Mowden forwards got back on top for prop Ignas Darkintis to burrow over.

A Plymouth penalty levelled it at 15-15 before forward strength was again rewarded with a penalty try, converted by Law, who added another penalty with two minutes left to deny the hosts a bonus point.

Considering the size of the squad they boasted at the start of the season, it was a surprise that Mowden seconds had to go to Blaydon with only 14 men.

They lost their unbeaten record in a 71-15 thumping, not helped by first-half injuries to flanker Joe Maud and prop Darren Fearn.

The hosts provided a half-time replacement for Maud, whose head injury saw him join a long casualty list. Lock Talite Vaioleti scored two tries for Mowden and young hooker Alfie Wilson also touched down.

Stockton, minus six of the previous week's squad, trailed 17-0 after 20 minutes at Novos. They fought back gamely to narrow the gap to two points, only for the hosts to pull away and win 27-15.

A Jeremy Good penalty made it 17-3 at the break, then two tries from barnstorming prop Tom Nelson, plus a conversion by full back Dan Wilson, gave Stockton real hope. But Novos managed a late flurry.

Northallerton leapfrogged their visitors, Old Otliensians, with a 20-5 win which took them up to fourth in Yorkshire Three.

In a scrappy game, not helped by second-half rain, North dominated up front, but took 25 minutes to go ahead when they ran in a simple try.

Otliensians conceded a string of penalties and the first kick at goal proved successful for an 8-0 lead on the stroke of half-time.

North began to drive the visitors back almost at will in the scrums and, after being warned for persistent offending, Otliensians conceded a penalty try.

The conversion was added and the final try came from a driving maul, making it 20-0 before Otliensians broke away to score in the last minute.

North are away to Leeds Modernians tomorrow.