Today's match is sponsored by lifelong fan Gavin Ellis

Today's matchball is sponsored by Moorlands Care

https://darlingtonfc.co.uk/news/thanks-to-our-matchball-sponsor-moorlands-care-home

Darlington 0 Kettering 1

Attendance 1310

Sherif (72 mins, 0-1)

Quakers were beaten by a second half winner on a blustery day at Blackwell Meadows.

The wind and a bobbly pitch didn't help in terms of entertainment, and they will look back at three good chances before Kettering scored the winner.

Kettering had the advantage of the strong wind behind them in the opening half, while Quakers were also looking into the sun.

Kettering had an early free kick on the right which Rhys Sharpe tried to float to the far post, but the wind took the ball over the bar.

Kallum Griffiths made ground up the right and crossed into the middle, but the ball was cleared.

After 7 minutes Will Hatfield burst from the halfway line into the Kettering half, but he overhit his pass inside for Jake Cassidy.

Kettering won a corner on 9 minutes, but again the ball was carried on the wind out for a goal kick.

Quakers had a free kick 35 yards out on 14 minutes which Danny Rose hoisted towards the penalty area, but Tyrone O’Neill couldn’t get the ball under control.

O’Neill showed some neat skill on 16 minutes when he backheeled the ball near the corner flag for Jack Lambert to run into the box, but nobody could get on the end of Lambert’s pull back.

Quakers won their first corner on 17 minutes , but Lambert’s inswinger was headed away.

Kevin Dos Santos did well to win possession midway inside the Kettering half and made a good run forward and found Lambert, but Lambert’s return pass was intercepted.

Kettering won another corner on 35 minutes, but they were penalised for a foul on Tommy Taylor when the ball came into the middle.

Kettering won two corners in a minute on 39 minutes, the second of which ended up in the side netting.

Quakers had a chance to open the scoring on 45 minutes. Ben Hedley’s high free kick into the Kettering box was spilled by Kettering keeper Jackson Smith under pressure from Danny Ellis, but Jack Lambert put the loose ball over the top.

Half time 0-0

Quakers had a half chance on 53 minutes. Lambert picked the ball up from a throw in, and tried his luck with a right foot shot that went a yard or so wide.

Kettering’s Kennedy was booked for a foul on Hatfield, but Hedley’s free kick went over everybody for a goal kick.

Quakers nearly scored on 66 minutes. O’Neill found Rose just outside the box, and he chipped the ball in for Cassidy, who headed just wide of the right hand post.

And Quakers had another chance when O’Neill dribbled past two defenders into the six yard box, but Smith put the ball out for a corner.

Kettering took the lead on 72 minutes. A long clearance by Smith was flicked on for Decarry Sheriff to run on and place the ball past Taylor, with Quakers appealing for offside.

Quakers tried to respond when Cassidy laid the ball off for Hatfield on the edge of the box, but he fired over the top.

Rose also curled a corner over to the far side of the six yard box, but Lambert headed wide.

Full time:

Darlington 0 Kettering 1

Here's Alun's reaction to the defeat:

https://darlingtonfc.co.uk/news/we-didnt-do-enough-to-win-the-game

Team: Taylor, Griffiths (sub Beauchamp 90+2), Ellis, Lawlor, Hedley, Dos Santos (Rivers 75), Hatfield, Rose, Lambert, Cassidy, O'Neill

Subs: Smith, Storey, Purver

Kettering: 

J Smith, Barrett, Brown, Sharpe, Johnson, Cooper, Kennedy, Stohrer (sub C Smith 46) , Crawford (sub O'Connell 90+2), Calder, (sub Diakiesse 46) Sherif
Subs: Joshua, Milovanovic