Darlington 0 Scarborough 1

Scorer Green 62

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Darlington lost for the second time to Scarborough over Christmas when they were beaten by a second half goal at Blackwell Meadows.

Once again, Quakers created some good chances, but they couldn't convert them, and the Seadogs made them pay in the second half.

Quakers had the edge of the early play with a couple of promising attacks, but after 3 minutes one of the assistants was injured, and so an appeal was made for a volunteer. One stepped forward, and after the clubs agreed, he got changed and play restarted after a 21 minute delay.

Quakers had the first chance of the game on 30 minutes. Will Hatfield won the ball in midfield and sent Cameron Salkeld away. He got to the edge of the box and struck a low shot that Whitley saved.

Scarborough won a free kick on the right of the Darlington box on 32 minutes, but Weledji’s free kick was headed away at the near post.

Quakers worked hard after that without really testing the visiting defence, but they also defended well at the other end.

They won a free kick on the left on 46 minutes, and Quakers cleared the ball out as far as Purver, who crossed it back in for Rutledge to head over the bar.

In a good period of possession, Jarrett Rivers got away down the right, but his cross into the middle for Ngandu was intercepted by a defender, although Quakers claimed a foul on Ngandu.

Quakers had a chance in 45+15 when Salkeld played the ball to Hatfield on the edge of the box, but the midfielder’s left foot shot was saved after he’d sidestepped a defender.

Salkeld then cut in from the right, beat a man, but his left footed attempt was saved by Whitley.

Half time 0-0

Quakers made a sub at half time, Bradley Williams coming on for Rivers

Scarborough got a free kick on 47 minutes which saw Green get around the back of the defence and whip in a low cross that was put away for a corner by Lawlor. The Quakers defence was put under pressure from the corner, and tried to break away through Salkeld, who was pulled down midway inside the Darlington half by Wiles, who was booked.

Quakers got the crowd going when Liddle put in a dangerous cross from the left, but no-one could get on the end of it.

Scarborough nearly scored on 58 minutes. Barnes curled a free kick into the middle which Darlington half cleared, and the ball came back out to him, so he struck a left foot shot wide that was deflected wide.

The visitors took the lead on 62 minutes when Barnes got round the back of the defence on the right and pulled the ball back into the six yard box where Green turned the ball home.

Quakers then made two subs, Andrew Nelson coming on for Ngandu, and the injured Siddik went off and was replaced by Lees.

Quakers had a chance when a loose clearance went to Williams, who ran forward and set up Salkeld, and his right foot shot from an acute angle went across the face of goal.

And another opportunity came along on 75 minutes when the ball dropped for Salkeld inside the area, but his low shot was saved by Whitley.

Salkeld kept going, and he created another chance when he beat a man on the edge of the box and hit a low right foot shot that the keeper saved low down.

Quakers won two corners in the second minute of stoppage time, but the visiting defence got the ball away.

Full time 0-1

Team: Taylor, Hedley, Lawlor, Siddik (sub Lees 67), Sukar, Platt, Liddle, Hatfield, Rivers (sub Williams 46), Ngandu (sub Nelson 63), Salkeld

Subs: Lindley, Asante

Scarborough: Whitley, Weledji, Thornton, Gooda, Purver, Green, Colville, Wiles, Brown, Barnes, Rutledge

Subs: Cracknell, Mulhern, Qualter, Dom Tear, Durose