Stockton Town Blue 2 Darlington FC Youth Under 14 3

Away kit sponsored by - MCC Utilities Limited

Darlington travelled to Polton Blues in Middlesbrough looking for three points to keep their promotion push alive. On paper an away fixture at a team lying second who also played on a 3G surface would be no pushover.

As ever the lads started brightly with a brisk passing game superior to their opponents. It was the hosts though breaking the deadlock with a well struck volley from the edge of the box finding the net despite keeper Kenzie Alton getting a hand to it. Darlington continued in the same vein they had started not letting the early set back deter them at all. Liam Wynn went close with a trademark free kick and then Kieran Longstaff looked as if he would level things with a mazy run, followed by a shot which the home keeper was forced into making a tremendous block to deny the equaliser. The visitors continued to press with a cultured approach while the home side preferred hitting long balls for their forwards to run onto. An equaliser looked on the cards and materialised in great fashion. Liam Wynn hitting the ball like a thunderbolt from a thirty-yard free kick. The keeper could only watch as it hit the corner of the net to his right! A few minutes later Liam turned supplier, playing a neat short through ball for live wire Kieran Longstaff to slip past the keeper with apparent ease.

In at the break 2-1 up hugely deserved.

While the advantage remained a slender one though nerves on the side lines remained. Chances for either side were created, Ollie Johnson going close down the right hand side and Liam Wynn was foiled by another great stop from the Polton keeper. Then disaster, Darlo's defence conceding a penalty following pressure from the hosts. Kenzie Alton finally letting in a penalty in the league, a well-placed kick nestling in the corner of the net. As with the opening goal though, the lads refused to let their heads drop and continued to look for another opening. They forced a series of corners and with a little over ten minutes remaining, an in swinging corner from the right hand side supplied by Liam Wynn was met by Spencer Soakell from close range, the ball going in off his knee. From the restart Polton pressed and Kenzie Alton was forced into a fine fingertip save to deny an equaliser. Minutes later Darlington forced a penalty of their own only for Liam Wynn to strike the ball to the wrong side of the left post. That was to be very nearly the last action of what would have been a pulsating game for a neutral to watch!

So three points to The Quakers, via a slender looking 3-2 score line. On another day though things would have been a little more comfortable with missed chances finding the net and their keeper not performing as many heroics!

It was pleasing again to struggle to pick a man of the match.

Anyone of the spine of the side would have been a worthy recipient, Alex Mason barking orders as ever and going in where it hurts. Tom Horner linking defence to attack and running tirelessly. Top scorer Liam Wynn bagging a spectacular free kick and assisting two goals. Mentions too for Luke Corr yet again with a solid man-marking performance and Kieran Longstaff a doubt to even start yet causing trouble throughout the game topped off with a top class finish.

In the end Alex just pipped the rest to bag another MOTM award.

Well done U14s on your game.