Middlesbrough are fortunate to escape as Park miss conversions

LEADING by 11 points with less than 10 minutes remaining, Middlesbrough can count themselves lucky to have taken a win after conceding two late tries.

The home side started well and dominated the opening 20 minutes, although through a mixture of good Middlesbrough defending and poor Darlington finishing they were only 5-0 ahead with No 8 Dan Squire touching down on 10 minutes.

After the home side were caught offside, Middlesbrough opened their account on 16 minutes with Callum Campbell kicking a penalty, but Darlington went into an 8-3 lead with fly-half Ritchie Young kicking a 33rd-minute penalty.

Middlesbrough went in at the break 10-8 ahead after a stoppage-time converted try from scrum-half and captain Peter Wright, who touched down from close range.

The first 20 minutes of the second half were all Middlesbrough, and Campbell took advantage with three further penalties as indiscipline cost Darlington dear.

Flanker Cameron Pearson scored on 73 minutes but his effort was out wide and the conversion was missed and Darlington had another chance to claim victory as replacement Todd Harrison barged over for a try, but that conversion was also missed.

West Park (St Helens) 33

Sheffield Tigers 29

SOME shocking tackling in the second half saw Sheffield Tigers throw away the lead in stoppage time and succumb to defeat at bottom of the league West Park.

With promotion out of the picture and relegation not an issue for Tigers, they let a 21-0 lead slip and had to settle for two bonus points from their defeat.

They played well in patches, and opened their account early with second-row Bev Wilkinson scoring on three minutes and fly-half Tom Outram converting.

Centre Jimmy Pearson touched down on six minutes and Outram converted, as he did following Pearson's second try on 15 minutes.

The home side hit back with flanker Mike Millward scoring on 22 minutes and winger Warren Hunt converting, but Tigers remained in control and scrum-half Dave Scully touched down to give his side a 26-7 lead at half-time.

West Park soon hit back, centre Craig Orrick and prop Ian Critchley scoring converted tries before Rob Hitchmough added another on 77 minutes to pull the home side level.

Tigers hit back with a penalty from Outram on 82 minutes but in the seventh minute of stoppage-time, replacement back Neil Hull crashed over, Hunt's conversion helping to give the hosts their third league win.