DARLINGTON Mowden Park skipper Danny Brown has pledged to carry on next season, confident he can bring the team straight back up to level four status, writes Tim Wellock.

“I took them down and I will take them back up,” said the prop forward. “Already 19 of the players have re-signed and the player-coach, Peter Taylor, is also staying. “It took us a long time to hit form this season because we had to rebuild after losing so many players.”

Last Saturday’s 32-15 win in the final home game against Preston Grasshoppers made it three wins, a draw and a narrow defeat away to the National Three North champions, Nuneaton, in the last five games.

It remains to be seen whether Jon Benson stays after completing his two-year contract, so Mowden sent on Gavin Painter from the bench to try him at fly half. But among those who might have left, Brown’s front row colleagues Dan Miller and Howie Murray have agreed to stay, along with scrum half Martyn Lithgo.

Lithgo was man of the match against Preston, scoring two tries as Mowden came back from 10-3 down to draw level at half-time and dominate the second half. They more than held their own against a big, physical pack and were stronger in open play.

Lithgo broke from the base of a scrum and side-stepped the full back to score the try which made it 10-10 at the break. The experiment to try Painter at No.10 paid early dividents when he sent winger Matt Goforth over following a ten-man move.

Replacement prop Ralph Appleby finished a series of drives for his first National League try and Lithgo again beat the full back to score his second, earning a four-try bonus point.

Mowden added two penalties and three conversions, with Ben Snook going on at full back to take over the kicking from Jon Benson in the second half.

Former Mowden player Eni Gesinde, who has spent most of the season with Tynedale, is looking for a National One club after being released by Newcastle Falcons.

After coming through the academy, the athletic 26-yearold back row forward made eight first team starts for the Falcons two seasons ago. But his lack of beef counted against him and he hasn’t featured