Dudley Kingswinford failed to follow-up last week's basement win over bottom club Bedford Athletic with victory over another of their fellow strugglers, Darlington, leaving them still in dire danger of relegation to regional rugby.
Despite having the better of the exchanges in the first 30 minutes, they faded badly, conceding 23 unanswered points before the hour.
It was 8-0 to Darlington at half-time after Frankie Coulson kicked a 22nd-minute penalty and centre Craig Lee found a hole for an unconverted try on 35 minutes.
Soon after the interval DK were hit with three scores in 11 minutes. Left-winger Coulson converted prop Dan Miller's try from a rolling maul, added a second penalty and created a try for No 8 Mike Taylor.
DK finally avoided a whitewash after 65 minutes when winger Steve Smart made a dash from halfway, chipped over the cover defence and outsped it to grab the touchdown.
With home victory over Darlington Mowden Park, Bedford Athletic still cling to the tail of DK, who need to bridge two places and an eight-point gap to safety in their remaining five games.
However, of the three clubs immediately above them, Mowden Park have one game in hand and both Blaydon, DK's visitors next Saturday, and Darlington two in hand.
Nor are Rugby Lions free of danger following a 17-13 home defeat by Macclesfield.
