Richmond claimed all five league points with a five try victory over bottom placed Darlington Mowden Park. At half time the score was a clinical 0-28 but DMP fought hard in the second half to pull back the margin of defeat to a more respectable sixteen points.

A hundred miles south, Sale FC were holding on to a 25-22 victory over Rams, leaving Richmond now just a single point behind their top team rivals.

The trip up to the North East is not for the faint hearted and the afternoon was icy cold. The game was a rearranged fixture and had to survive a pitch inspection on Friday night. In part because it was a planned blank Saturday, availability and injuries meant that Richmond fielded a very unfamiliar squad, featuring no less than five players making their first team debuts.

DMP have had a tough season both on and off the field and started the game in bottom position in National One.

The Darlington Arena was built for crowds up to 25,000 so the few hundred loyal souls who turned up struggle to provide an atmosphere.

Richmond opened the scoring after six minutes. From a free kick given at a scrum. Richmond’s man of the match Lewis Dennett hoisted the ball high in the air and Jake Monson did really well to catch it on the full whilst at full tilt. He carried the ball up to the final defender before giving a scoring pass to Josh Addams. Callum Grieve added the conversion and Richmond had a good start.

In a game littered by penalties, Richmond conceded the first three. Additionally, Myles Wakeling, who overall had a good game, was given a yellow card for a marginally mistimed tackle in the air when following up a kick.

Despite the man down, Richmond promptly added a second try. DMP had a number of crooked throws at the line out and this gave Richmond the chance to kick deep. and force the opposition full back into a hurried clearance. From 25 metres out, Richmond pummelled the line to earn another penalty. This time, the pack drove to the line with Will Goffey squirming his way over. Callum Grieve added an excellent touchline conversion.

Darlington had one chance from a breakaway but some excellent defence at the corner prevented the score. With Wakeling back on, there was a further exchange of penalties before new centre Tololima Savainnaea, who has joined from London Welsh, made a powerful break deep into the 22. Schwarz was again in good support but was just stopped short. The ball was recycled down the line and Chidera Obonna forced his way over in the corner. Once again, Grieve added invaluable conversion points, this kick even better than the previous one.

The fourth try was added five minutes before half time. Josh Addams ran well before DMP conceded a penalty for a high tackle. Five metres out, the pack drove forward and Goffey got his second try of the afternoon.

The second half will not stay long in the memory though DMP deserve credit for defending with spirit and outscoring Richmond 17-5 with three second half tries to one.

The second half penalty count was even higher than the first, with 16 penalties shared between the teams. With a number of knock-ons prompted by cold hands, there was irritation on both sides at the constant stoppages.

DMP opened the second half scoring after Richmond self-destructed with some over ambitious passing. Scrum half Ben Douglas was first on the loose ball and hacked it ahead before getting the touch down. It was not a try of beauty, but it showed plenty of spirit.

The score prompted Richmond to turn opportunity into points. The ball was moved down the line out to the wide left and Alex O’Meara was in position to take the scoring pass and dive over in the corner.

Richmond maintained territorial advantage but could not turn pressure into points. All the substitutes got a run out. with debutants Archie Winchurch-Beale and Greg Kitson showing up well in longer stints.

With frustrations mounting, both sides were given general warnings about discipline. Darlington were awarded two yellow cards and then with seven or eight minutes left, Richmond got one too. Unfortunately, Wakeling, already on a yellow card, was the defender picked out in what was presumably a team punishment.

With Richmond looking rather shell shocked, DMP duly scored from the five metre line out, the large Talite Vaioleti getting the first of two tries in the final minutes.

There was time for three more penalties before the home hooker Jacob Olive found space to run right across the posts and set up Vaioleti for the final score of the afternoon.

Team: Kitson, Obonna, Grieve, Savaiinaea, Addams, Dennett, Schwarz, Freeman, Goffey, Spring, Monson, Nugent, Winchurch-Beale, Willis, Wakeling,
Subs: Post, Murray, Koomson, Marsh, O’Meara

Tries: Schwarz, Goffey (2), Obonna, O’Meara
Conversions: Grieve (4)