This translated immediately into much better results on the field, with the first four games in January 2015 won consecutively, transforming into league movement upwards from the danger zone at the bottom.

Wins against Cinderford RFC (A, 3 – 17), Richmond RFC (H, 43 – 12), Macclesfield RFC (A, 29 – 33) and Esher RFC (H, 30 – 22) enabled the club to establish itself in mid table, which is where it remained until the end of the season, finishing a creditable 9th position.

The highlight of the second half of the league fixture programme was the win against Coventry RFC (32 – 25) at the Arena in early March 2015. Arguably the best team performance in recent years, DMPRFC showed a very good Coventry RFC, who were at one stage in contention for promotion, that they could compete with the best in the league.

Perhaps when DMPRFC found itself ‘comfortable’ with guaranteed league stability and after that win, there was a little lack of focus with some disappointing results as the league programme drew to a close. This was an obvious but understandable error that needs not to be repeated in the future.

Top points scorers throughout games were Grant CONNON (139 points) and Garry LAW (115 points) and top try scorer was Henry ROBINSON with 13 tries.

Always a matter of opinion, but ‘try of the season’ could have been winger Ben RATH’s fine solo try away at Ealing Trailfinders RFC. He received the ball in defence inside his own 22-metre line, setting off on a mazy run, beating several defenders on his way to a scorching near length of the field try, scoring under the posts.

As with other clubs in the league, inevitable injuries and unavailability hampered a fully settled side, with some 45+ different players being involved in match day squads during the course of the whole season, which is an indication of how important the requirement is for having a large squad available at this level.

For the record, the statistics were:

PLAYED 30

WON 13 LOST 16 DRAWN 1

POINTS FOR 782 POINTS AGAINST 732 POINTS DIFFERENCE +50

BONUS POINTS (TRY) 14 BONUS POINTS (LOSING) 6

TRIES SCORED 105 TRIES CONCEDED 105

YELLOW CARDS 31 RED CARDS 4 (1 RESCINDED)

HOME ATTENDANCES TOTAL 15,803

HIGH 1,495 LOW 835 AVERAGE 1054

KICKING STATS G. LAW 74.14% G.CONNON 72.88% T. HODGSON 67.57%

MOST APPEARANCES H. ROBINSON 30 C. MITCHELL 29 C. MACKENZIE 28

AGE OF YOUNGEST PLAYER APPEARING J. CRAGGS 18 yrs J. WALKER 18 yrs

AGE OF OLDEST PLAYER APPEARING M. THOMPSON 32 yrs

What is also especially of note is as well as the valued support at home, that a significant number of supporters do travel the long distances to away games at considerable expense to themselves and this is very much appreciated by the players and connections.

With the imminent arrival of the New Zealand All Blacks, using the Arena as a training base during part of their 2015 World Cup campaign, there is a tangible ‘buzz’ around the club, the town and the North East in general.

For the first season in National League One, the main objective was to maintain league status, which was achieved and with new signings already secured (details to follow shortly), as well as players retained, a second season at the highest ever level for the club is eagerly anticipated by all connected with Darlington Mowden Park RFC.

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