Darlington striker Hattie Raine scored a hat trick when Quakers defeated Boldon 5-2 at Eastbourne on Sunday.

They were three good points for Quakers, as they build up for a hectic finish to the season.

They're now fifth in the table, with a great chance of finishing in the top three.

Manager Shaun MacKenzie said; “‘A very good 3 points that I feel we needed. I thought we started a bit sluggish and slow and were a bit panicky at times. But we reacted well to going behind and once we settled down and started playing football, I thought we controlled the game as soon as we got the equaliser. 

“The most pleasing thing for me is we matched Boldon for physicality, which is something I couldn’t have said when they beat us here last season. We have a lot more experience in the squad now and the additions of Leanne and Sara, as well as Shez’s form recently allows us to win those first balls and win those aerial challenges in the midfield. 

“I thought the back four played really well and Evie in goal, Leanne played that defensive midfield role extremely well and Sara and Shez put another top performance in in midfield. Hattie and Chloe both took their goals well and that puts them on 30 goals between the two of them in all competitions which is fantastic to say we are only half way through our season. Lots of positives to take from the game and into our next game next week, away at Birtley.”

After the game, Paul Upton caught up with Sara Waites, and had a chat with her

Here's the match report from Chris Barrett

Darlington started the game with intensity and it nearly paid off when Hattie Raine got an early shot away after creating space down the right but could not convert.

Boldon were not deterred and were growing into the game. They won a corner on the 9th minute which was played in and diverted towards goal and it would have been in had it not been for a great clearance off the line from Leanne Mulligan but the ball then dropped into the box and Darlington failed to react and this gave a Boldon player time to take the ball down and smash the ball home to take the lead.

Darlington were creating chances with Katie Sheridan picking up the ball in midfield driving forward and striking at goal but striking just wide and Raine again getting an effort on goal shortly after.

On the 27th minute, a strong perfect timed tackle from Sara Waites won the ball before Boldon could break into the Darlington box. From the transition, the ball was transferred up into the Boldon half into the path of Hattie Raine who drove forward down the right and from distance struck the ball with delightful precision over the keeper to get Darlington the equaliser and back in the game. 

Before half time, Darlington had another chance from long range this time with an effort from Mulligan but the keeper managed to recover after only partially stopping the ball. This meant that the sides went into the break all square with a draw a fair reflection of the first period.

The second half begun with Darlington straight on the front food and from kick off , the ball was laid back to Raine who played a long ball over the top for Katie Sheridan to flick on to Chloe Ryan who met the ball on the run and it was another beautiful lobbed finish over the keeper to give Darlington the perfect start to the second half.

Darlington were more dominant in the second half and nearly got another when Sara Waites got past the left back with a magnificent pirouette and played a great ball across the box but it couldn’t be turned in. Darlington’s position was strengthened when Boldon lost a player temporarily to the sin bin for dissent.  On 66 minutes Darlington made them pay with relentless pressure leading to a strike from Raine and the keeper couldn’t hold on and it was spilled into the back of the net.

Just 7 minutes, later Darlington were 4-1 up with a perfectly weighted ball from Waites into Chloe Ryan down the left who cut in and struck it past the keeper.

The fifth goal was the hat trick for Raine who again picked the ball up on the right hand side and it was a clean strike in the right of the goal past the keeper for her 9th league goal of the season. 

There was time late in the game for another Boldon goal. It was from a penalty after a late clip on the attacker just inside the box. Evie Whittaker stood strong and nearly managed to keep it out but it had just enough power to sneak into the corner.

Darlington got back to winning ways finishing up 5-2 winners and getting some much needed points on the board. Again there was a number of strong performances with Ryan and Raine clinical in their finishing, Waites creative in the final third and the calming presence of Evie Whittaker in goal. 

Player of the match was awarded to Leanne Mulligan for an assured display in the defensive midfield role providing both support for the back line and helping to build up the play through the middle.

With a number of fixtures ahead Darlington will need to use this win to start building some momentum going forward and hope to end the season strong. 

Here's the league table

https://fulltime.thefa.com/table.html?league=901345664&selectedSeason=85293540&selectedDivision=371387182&selectedCompetition=0&selectedFixtureGroupKey=1_97264698

We'd like to thank the following kit sponsors

Ellen Atkinson:

Home: LW & GM Atkinsons & Son

Away: Harker Coaches

Evie Whittaker: 

Home: Steve Halliday

Away: Premier One Filtration

Emma Carter:

Home: Direct Flooring 

Away: SMS Tech (Smart Manufacturing Solutions Technology)

Alice Wearmouth:

Home: Direct Flooring 

Away: SMS Tech (Smart Manufacturing Solutions Technology) 

Lou Brown:

Home: Saddington Taylor LTD

Away: vacant

Gabi Paduriaru:

Home: David Stothard

Away: Colin Bromley

Millie Garnett:

Home: Eco Hair Salon

Away: Phil's Fine Finishes

Lily Large:

Home: Arthur Wharton Foundation  

Away: Vacant 

Chloe Tinkler: 

Home: Steve Halliday

Away: Brinkburn Pub

Chloe Bright: 

Home: Jordan Hanratty Personal Training 

Away: Active Kids Play Scheme

Toni Upton

Home: Dawn Fire Safety 

Away: Dawn Fire Safety

Emma Doudican 

Home: Winroths Hairdressing  

Away: Winroths Hairdressing 

Olivia Whitworth

Home: Terry Farley MBE

Away: Vacant 

Aimee Dagnall 

Home: Andrew Scullion

Away: Vacant

Hattie Raine: 

Home: Thomas Watson Auctioneers 

Away: Thomas Watson Auctioneers 

Katie Sheridan: 

Home: Arthur Wharton Foundation 

Away: Ingleton Site Management LTD

Lacey Baldwin: 

Home: Lineside Fencing NE Ltd 

Away: Lineside Fencing NE Ltd 

Chloe Ryan: 

Home: Arthur Wharton Foundation

Away: The Little Quaker Distillery 

Nicole Graham

Home: Stuart Shanks Painting and Decorating

Away: Stuart Shanks Painting and Decorating

Management team:

Shaun Mackenzie training kit: John Vickerman

Assistant manager training kit: NC Group LTD

Dan Lupu training kit: Vacant

Chris Barrett training kit: Vacant