Armstrong Brace Gives Quakers Win Over Neighbors
Summer signing Graeme Armstrong was on target twice for Darlington as they visited neighbours Spennymoor Town. Both of his goals arrived in a dominate first half display for the visitors as they claimed a deserved three points.
Quakers were quickest out of the traps and carved out a couple of early chances which included a David Dowson strike which went wide of Kyle Hayes' post. Not long afterwards though Darlington took the lead in front of their travelling supporters.
Skipper Gary Brown collected the ball down the right and swung over a brilliant cross for Armstrong to volley home. Spennymoor responded after the 10th minute goal and Darlington keeper Peter Jameson made a good block to deny Liam Henderson.
Darlington though continued to create more chances and dominated the first half. Armstrong flashed a shot across goal and Amar Purewal saw a shot saved. The lead should have been doubled when a Dowson cross was cleared into the path of Leon Scott but he could only blaze over the bar with Hayes on the ground.
It was a golden chance for the second goal but the visitors didn't have to wait much longer for it. On 27 minutes a Terry Galbraith free kick was headed home by Armstrong for his second of the night.
The hosts did improve somewhat after the break but Darlington, who introduced Nathan Fisher at half time, still created the better chances and continued to work hard. Fisher saw a shot go wide of the far post after some good work and Darlington nearly made Moors pay for a defensive mistake. A poor back pass allowed Armstrong a clear run on goal. The forward, signed from Whitby Town in the summer, only had Hayes to beat but he couldn't round the Moors shot stopper and the chance was gone.
Darlington carved out more chances but couldn't find what would have been a deserved third goal. At the opposite end Jameson ensured a clean sheet with an excellent reaction save from a Paul Johnson header.
Spennymoor Town: Hayes, Groves, Tait, Johnson, Capper, McReady (Stephenson, 46), Dodds, Graydon, Peacock (Lynch, 80), Henderson, Roberts (Cogdon, 61). Subs not used: Taylor, Mason.
Darlington: Jameson; Brown, White, Hunter, Galbraith, Dowson, Mitchell (Reed, 75), Scott, Portas, Purewal (Fisher, 48), Armstrong (Hatch, 62). Subs not used: Hopson, Reed, Bell.
Goals: Armstrong (10, 1-0), Armstrong (27, 2-0).
