Tunstead stars as Darlington climb out of danger zone

9:12am Monday 10th March 2008

Darlington 35 Cleckheaton 12

DARLINGTON'S discovery of a turbo-charged prop in Australian Dave Tunstead sent their impressive recovery into over-drive on Saturday.

After losing 18 players their disastrous start to the season seemed certain to bring a second successive relegation, but this win lifted them out of North One's bottom three.

None of the others are going down without a fight, however, as even bottom club Penrith lost only 12-7 away to unbeaten leaders Kendal.

Tunstead helped Darlington dominate the scrums and his bullocking runs provided the highlights of a match played in foul conditions.

He is not the most athleticlooking character, but he showed a surprising turn of foot when one of his charges took him clear on halfway in the second half.

On reaching the 22 he passed to quicksilver centre Andrew Pugh, and when he was stopped just short Tunstead showed remarkable agility in ensuring that his effort was rewarded. He was immediately on hand to grab the ball and drive over.

That was the try which ended any fears of a Cleckheaton comeback after they turned round with the gale behind them trailing 27-0.

In truth, a fightback looked unlikely once Darlington had spent the first ten minutes of the second half in visiting territory, but when they were pinned back an attempted clearance was blown back to the line and Cleckheaton scored.

The try was awarded despite a suspicion of a knock-on, but Darlington shored things up by sending on bulk and experience in the shape of Bill Smith at lock and David Glendenning at inside centre.

An impressive series of pickand- drives took them almost to the line, where Cleckheaton's desperation produced a yellow card and once Tunstead had scored victory was in the bag.

It looked like being wrapped up much earlier as Darlington led 14-0 inside ten minutes.

A clever pass from fly half David Andrew sent left winger Tom Bivens on a good run deep into the 22, and the ball was recycled several times before full back Evan Haigh sent Pugh over.

Scrum half Sean Richardson showed his class when his pace off the mark took him through a gap from a ruck on the 22, and he stepped inside the full back to go under the posts.

Darlington were a little overanxious in their efforts to build on the flying start and the next half hour produced only two penalties by Haigh, to add to his two conversions.

Two strikes against the head by Rob Goddard emphasised the scrum dominance. But Darlington failed to secure lineout ball after two penalties to touch, and when No 8 Tom Wilkinson was sin-binned after 38 minutes there were still doubts that they had done enough.

In first half injury time, however, Cleckheaton dropped the ball on their 22 and Pugh seized it to scamper over for his second try in the right corner, Haigh adding a good conversion.

While local lads such as Wilkinson, Joe Oselton, Steve Taylor and James Knox are playing a big part in the improved pack performances, it was Tunstead who stood out in the second half.

His try made it 32-5 and there were only ten minutes left when Cleckheaton's game attempts to play running rugby finally produced a reward.

Teessider Tom Lauriston had been unable to make much progress at centre, but when the left winger appeared there in a move going right he shot away to put the right winger over.

With the wind dropping towards the end, Haigh completed the scoring with a penalty from just outside the 22.