MORLEY took the chance to improve their points difference as they raced over for eight tries on their way to a morale-boosting win away to bottom of the table Darlington on Saturday.

The hosts have now felt the full weight of North One's best teams as they suffered a 50-0 drubbing on the back of an 80-0 hammering by Westoe the previous week.

But it took the Maroons almost half an hour to open the scoring and their opponents were putting up stiffer resistance than maybe was anticipated. In fact it was Darlington who had the first chance to score after only two minutes when full back Nick Baldwin missed a relatively easy penalty kick - the start of what was to be a miserable afternoon for the home backs.

Play in the first 20 minutes was disjointed as Morley, perhaps over eager, played poorly although they enjoyed territorial advantage.

The first fluid move by the Morley backs almost brought a try for left wing Simon Bradshaw, but play was brought back for a forward pass.

Joe Battye then made a typical run and Bradshaw had an opportunity to kick a penalty as Darlington infringed at a ruck, but his kick went to the right of the post.

Morley were, however, now putting together more phases and a fine break by Craig Field, playing out of position at centre, led to another penalty only for possession to be lost in an attempted catch and drive.

They did take the lead, though, on 27 minutes when a clever crossfield kick by Mark Chester eluded the home right wing and landed fortuitously for Bradshaw who was able to collect the ball and race round the stranded full back to go in by the post. He converted his own try.

A quick tap by the lively Sean Dadswell after the restart caught Darlington napping, but a knock on spoilt the move. Wayward kicking by the hosts allowed Morley time to run the ball back and first Scott Evans split the defence, the move was carried on by Field, Michael Ash and Koby Gyasi and the forwards were in support. Peter Dadswell fed Mike Burnett only for the flanker to be tackled just short with the referee not convinced he had touched down.

Frustration showed as Darlington lost a player to the sin-bin for stamping at a ruck. From the resultant penalty line-out on 38 minutes, Sean Dadswell fed Ash on a terrific break. Gyasi had come into the middle to support and although tackled, he managed to get over the line for the second try. Bradshaw converted and it was 14-0 at half-time.

Morley began the second half confidently and five minutes in simple passing gave Evans space to show a good turn of pace down right wing. Quick passing from Chester and Paul Gabriel then allowed Sean Burke to burst past his would-be tackler and go over for a try that went unconverted.

The floodgates had opened and within two minutes the Maroons had another try. From a scrum in their own half, Peter Dadswell picked up and made the initial break, Bradshaw found Evans to get the ball moving forward and then a dummy and sprint and Scott was over on the right.

Karl Bradshaw was introduced for Scott Evans, with Simon Bradshaw switching to full back, and Karl was involved immediately by breaking down the left. But frustration got the better of young second rower Danny Chamberlain who was yellow carded for "over enthusiastic" rucking.

Lack of numbers did not hinder Morley, however, as they stretched the lead to 31-0 as a well worked set piece move saw Chester skilfully use Gyasi as a foil with a pass going to Ash who was able to run through the wide open spaces of the Darlington back line to score down the left. Chester cleverly used the far post to bounce the ball over the crossbar for a good conversion.

The Morley backs were dominating the game with the amount of possession won by their forwards and more points came in the last five minutes. Simon Bradshaw's pace saw him break through, but the move looked to have petered out until Joe Battye appeared from nowhere to take the ball and score.

On 78 minutes Field and Karl Bradshaw combined well down the centre and again number eight Battye was in support to claim his second try to which Chester added the conversion.

Darlington came close to a consolation score when they got to within two metres of the Morley line, but their efforts were ruined when flanker James Knox was sent off for kicking Burnett at a ruck.

Chester took the penalty two metres from his own line, in front of the posts and it brought about a final try for the Maroons as a clever chip kick over the home back line was collected by Simon Bradshaw who got to the half way line before passing to Field. The skipper then charged onto the 22 before returning the favour and Simon went over the line with a spectacular dive. The conversion saw Chester bring up the 50 with the final kick of the day.

Darlington: Baldwin; Tambling, Atkinson, Linton, Kibiridge; Carver, Sellers; Smith, Goddard, Oselton, Taylor, Oakley, Knox, O'Donnell, Wilkinson. Replacements: Shepherd, Mabbox, Junstead.
Morley: Evans; Gyasi, Field, Ash, S Bradshaw; Chester, S Dadswell; Gabriel, Treco, Gray, Chamberlain, Burke, P Dadswell, Burnett, Battye. Replacements (all used): K Bradshaw, Benn, Stannard.
Referee: Simon Lazenby
Scorers:
Morley: Tries, S Bradshaw 2, Battye 2, Gyasi, Burke, Evans, Ash. Conversions, S Bradshaw 2, Chester 3.

Tony Harber - Morley Observer & Advertiser