With both teams going into Saturday's game needing to win there was all to play for and a large crowd at Scatcherd Lane to see what turned out to be an enthralling contest.

Despite trailing 14-3 after 24 minutes, the Maroons stormed back to lead 18-14 and with six minutes left the dream of maintaining their national league status was still very much alive only to be dashed as Mowden Park dug deep to finally turn the game their way.

Morley started well and were on the attack from the kick-off, winning a second minute penalty which Mark Pease pulled just right from 40 metres out. They went straight back at their opponents and from a quick tap by scrum half Mark Chester, centre Pease was almost through. The move was taken on and Craig Field was tackled just short before play was brought back for another penalty which Pease this time slotted from under the posts to open the scoring.

The Maroons were not in front for long, just one minute to be precise as Dave Evans spilled the ball shortly after the re-start and from the resulting scrum Darlington scrum half Andrew Foreman worked a neat runaround with number eight Scott Riddell and went through a weak tackle to race over from 20 metres out. Former Leeds fly half Jon Benson added the conversion to make it 7-3.

Morley were far from overawed and with their forwards gradually getting on top they looked to hit back, establishing good field position when full back Scott Evans made ground off a long pass from fly half Dave Evans. They were more than holding their own against one of the strongest sides in the league, but were given an example of their opponents' abilities when front row men Ross Batty and Danny Brown combined well to carry the ball 40 metres from half way.

An overlap to the right was then wasted when a poor pass was hacked on, allowing Field to get across to cover. But the relief was temporary as the next move saw Park score their second try when Gareth Kerr came in from his right wing position to find a gap in the 24th minute. With Benson adding the conversion it was now 14-3.

Having demonstrated their clinical finishing, the visitors then had to show defensive strength for the rest of the half as they struggled for possession, even losing a couple of scrums against the head and looking far from secure in the line-out.

Field lifted home spirits with a superb 60-metre run from his own half up to the 22 and the pressure was maintained until Morley finally got a deserved try on 38 minutes. It took a good move to open up the Park defence as Simon Chippendale made a half break, Paul Gabriel took the ball on and Pease charged for the line before sending fellow centre Pete Murphy over. Pease kicked the conversion and it was 14-10 at half-time.

The Maroons had a strong wind behind them after the break and looked to use it straight away with Pease finding touch with a long kick downfield that made all of 60 metres. Again they were met by stubborn defence with Garth Dodgson coming closest to scoring in this period when tackled just short of the line.

Some of this defence was by illegal means, however, and Darlington found themselves a man down for 10 minutes as hooker Batty was yellow carded. Another penalty soon followed and Pease stepped up to put the ball between the posts to cut the deficit to one point.

Mowden Park were hanging on now as Dave Evans almost broke through on a strong run through the middle and Field was unlucky to slip with the line looking open in front of him. Winger Jon Hampsey then kicked ahead down the left wing only to be unable to follow it up due to a blatant trip by Danny Brown who became the second visiting player to be sent to the sin-bin as a result.

The pressure finally brought reward for Morley on 66 minutes when Gabriel and Tom Gray were both stopped near the line, but the forward drives kept coming and Matt Challinor, who was outstanding at number eight, powered his way over the line from close range. Pease could not add the conversion, but the home side were 18-14 ahead.

Could they hold on for a famous victory? The answer was no as a succession of penalties pushed them back and with their first attack of note in the second half Park regained the lead on 74 minutes as flanker Aaron Myers somehow got the ball down in a ruck of players.

Replacement fly half Charles Raynor added the extras and was soon lining up more kicks, missing with one penalty attempt, but slotting two more on 80 and 82 minutes to effectively put the game beyond Morley at 27-18.

Still the Maroons kept battling and with the last move of the game they scored their third try when prop Gabriel found himself in space and charged over the line. Pease kicked the conversion, but it was too late as the final whistle immediately followed to bring down the curtain on a season that had its ups and downs, but ultimately ended in relegation for Morley.

Morley: S Evans; Emmerson, Pease, Murphy, Hampsey; D Evans, Chester; Gabriel, Gray, Benn, Chippendale, Field, Dodgson, Hewetson, Challinor. Replacements (not used): Wilson, Burns, Treco, Ash.
Darlington Mowden Park: Snook; Kerr, Clark, Connally, Dixon; Benson, Foreman; Brown, Batty, Miller, Monument, Vinnicome, Bedovich, Myers, Riddell. Replacements (all used): Howard, Stewart, Browne, Raynor.
Referee: Chris Sharp

Scorers: Morley: Tries, Murphy, Challinor, Gabriel. Conversions, Pease 2. Penalties, Pease 2. Mowden Park: Tries, Foreman, Kerr, Myers. Conversions, Benson 2, Raynor. Penalties, Raynor 2.
Penalties against: Morley 11, Mowden Park 10.

Morley man of the match: Matt Challinor

Tony Harber - Morley Observer & Advertiser