Young calls for maturity as Mowden Park edge clash

■By ANDREW SMITH

Sheffield T…….24pts

Darlington MP……28pts

On the attack: Darlington’s Joe Craggs tries to break through

Right on time: Darlington’s Ben Douglas races through to score the winning try

PICTURES: Matthew Marsden

MOWDEN PARK’s coach Neil Young called for an 80-minute performance as his side rallied with a strong second-half response to clinch a tight bonus point victory, on the road at Sheffield Tigers.

Tries after the interval from Callum Mackenzie and Doug Benjamin secured the maximum points, for Darlington, but left a frustrated Young targeting areas for improvement.

“The first half was difficult,” he said. “I don’t think we settled, we didn’t get through many phases and it seemed a bit rushed and panicked.

“At half-time we talked about a few things. To build the phases, win the contact and be more aggres-sive.

“That began to show and we got the upper hand. We got in good positions and we got points on the board.

“One thing is clear, we need to start doing that right from the kick-off and for 80 minutes, which at the moment we are not doing.” In a scrappy opening spell, the hosts eventually began to assert their authority. A well-executed catch and drive saw in-form hook er Ben Crowe emerge to dart over from 5-metres.

Park hit back when Simon Uzokwe peeled off the back of a driving maul for his score. Flynn Ward’s conversion gave them a 5-7 lead.

Tigers settled and grew in confidence. Wingman Silas Talbot came close but the ball went forward before he could ground.

Quick thinking from Will Bennett saw his quick tap penalty from close range rewarded with a try, be-fore Mark Ireland‘s welcome return from injury saw him slot his first points of the season with the conversion.

Now in control, the home side extended their lead four minutes later with a superb solo effort from Crowe.

He showed intelligent improvisation, as he snatched the ball from the ruck – breaking a series of tackles to surge in under the posts for a 19-7advantage.

Against the run of play, the visitors snatched a converted try through Jacob Butterill just before the half-time whistle.

Park came out after the restart wanting to immediately regain the lead, with Callum Mackenzie burst-ing through midfield to power over for 19-21.

With the clock running down, The Tigers had a rare excursion into Darlington territory, but Ireland missed the crucial penalty from 30 metres.

Benjamin’s late try sealed the win, and the bonus point, as he took a tap-penalty and outwitting a re-treating Tigers defence.

But the hosts were not finished, with Silas Talbot squeezing in at the corner to secure his side two losing bonus points, in an eventful encounter.