Darlington 3 v 0 Frickley Athletic
Darlington picked up their first win of the season thanks to goals from Tom Portas, Nathan Cartman a...
Portas drilled home the opening goal mid-way through the first-half after being played in by Cartman.
Cartman then doubled the lead in the 33rd minute after he volleyed home with the visitors appealing for off-side.
Burgess sealed the win late on turning home the ball after the ball fell to him following a corner.
Martin Gray made just one change to the side that lost at Buxton with Graeme Armstrong coming into the starting eleven for Adam Nowakowski who was injured. David Dowson was also not in the squad tonight with Tom White and Ian Watson both on the bench.
Adam Mitchell nearly opened the scoring in the early stages when his free-kick was tipped around the post by the visiting goalkeeper.
However, Frickley dominated the early stages and twice Pete Jameson was forced into making smart stops to keep the game goalless.
The Quakers took the lead in the 23rd minute when Cartman played a ball in behind the defence and Portas buried the finish from a tight angle.
Almost immediately it was 1-1 with Chris Hunter having to make a goal line clearance just a minute after the goal.
The Quakers second came from a corner which Frickley didn’t fully clear. Portas put the ball back towards the box, Thompson flicked it on with his head and Cartman volleyed through the goalkeeper.
Mitchell should have given the home side a three goal cushion at the break when the ball broke to him in the box, but his effort was blocked on the line.
The second half saw fewer chances, but the hosts were on top with Portas shining in the centre of midfield.
Mitchell and Cartman both saw further efforts saved by the goalkeeper, with Mitchell also firing a strike over the bar.
It was the captain, Burgess, who sealed the victory with his first goal for the club with just a few of minutes to play. A corner was whipped in and it fell to the centre-back to fire into the net from just a few yards out.
Darlington’s next fixture comes this Saturday at home to Barwell.
Darlington Team – Jameson, Gibbons, Galbraith, Hunter, Burgess, Mitchell, Thompson, Portas, Turnbull, Cartman, Armstrong
