Hartlepool Pools Youth Women 2 Darlington Women 1
Quaker Women were unfortunate to lose their top of the table clash by 2-1 at Hartlepool this afternoon.
Quakers produced their best performance for some weeks, but were beaten by a great goal near the end.
Manager Shaun MacKenzie said; "Another loss is tough to take but we can take plenty of positives from the game. The girls showed the desire, fight and passion that has been missing from recent performances and I couldn’t have asked for anymore from them. They left everything on the pitch and we were unlucky not to get something from a close game.
"Although we’ve still conceded two goals and ultimately lost the game, we were much better defensively, kept our shape well and were an attacking threat throughout. What a goal it was today from Hattie as well, we will take the positives into next week and look to build from there."
Here's the match report from Chris Barrett:
It was another big day for Darlington Women as they were away to top of the league Hartlepool Pools Youth Ladies, still missing the influential Aimee Dagnall and a number of players carrying knocks keeping physio Dan Lupu busy.
It was a fast start with Hartlepool getting a chance within the first minute getting the ball into the box but heading just over.
Darlington responded with an attack of their own with the ball being played through to Hattie Raine who put the ball in the back of the net but was adjudged to be offside.
There was a strong midfield battle with Toni Upton and Emma Doudican battling to take control of the game and both teams struggling to create clear chances.
After 23 minutes Hartlepool managed to create some room in the middle and got a good strike away from 20 yards but it was smartly pushed away by Martina Cuccunato.
Hartlepool later won a corner and after 35 minutes were ahead when the ball was played into the box and it was met by a Hartlepool head but it was a couple of deflections that allowed the ball to bounce into the net. Hartlepool went into the break ahead with Darlington again disappointed that it was a set piece that had been undoing but it gave some hope for the second half.
The second half started in similar fashion to the first with both teams looking to play the ball and build up the play. After 59 minutes the ball was played into the box from a Chloe Tinkler free kick, flicked on by Doudican to Hattie Raine on the right hand side who lifted the ball over the defender's head, allowed the ball to drop and sweetly struck it with her left into the bottom corner.
For a large portion of the second half, there was a number of questionable decisions for both teams which was causing frustration on both sides. On 82 minutes a goal kick was headed back from the midfield into the Darlington defence who managed to clear it but it dropped nicely for the Hartlepool midfielder who struck the ball first time and a one in a hundred shot flew straight into the top corner from 25 yards giving the keeper no chance.
Darlington pressed hard in the final minutes of the game and they came closest when Doudican created space to shoot and it struck the top right of the cross bar. They also had an indirect free kick due to a pass back but due could only fire the ball over the crossbar. With the the time on the clock nearly running out, the last effort went to Alice Wearmouth who struck an audacious shot on target from 40 yards but the keeper managed to reach high to claim the ball comfortably in the end.
The game finished 2-1 to Hartlepool which will be tough to take for a valiant Darlington side whose performance was much improved from recent weeks with Chloe Tinkler coming into the side and winning numerous headers in the middle of defence and the pace of Lily Large and Wearmouth nullifying the attacks, alongside another tidy performance from Gabi Paduriaru who continues to impress out of position at left back.
Player of the match went to Toni Upton (sponsored by
dawnfiresafety.co.uk) who embodied the battling spirit that the team showed.
STARTING XI
1: Cuccunato,
19: Large,
5: Wearmouth,
14: Tinkler,
18: Padurariu,
3: Carter,
10: Upton (c),
8: Doudican,
4: Whitworth
20: Sheridan,
9: Raine,
Substitutes: Peart, Bright, Frew & Garnett
Full Time Result:
Hartlepool Pools Youth Ladies 2-1 Darlington FC Women
Hartlepool 1-0 - Rowbotham 35’
Darlington 1-1 - Raine 57’
Hartlepool 2-1 - Ingram 82’
Here's the link to 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 our kit sponsors:
Hattie Raine (sponsored by Krystal Sells), Emma Carter (The Cheese and Wine Shop), Emma Doudican (Winroths Hairdressers), Sarah Frew (Chic Beauty Academy), Martina Cuccunato (Premier 1 Filtration), Caisey Lee (Engage to Learn), Olivia Whitworth (Terry Farley MBE), Natalie Peart (RA Dalton Ltd), Toni Upton (Dawn Fire Safety), Alice Wearmouth (Direct Flooring), Chloe Bright (Jordan Hanratty Personal Training), Chloe Tinkler (Glen and Mary Bowes), Millie Garnett (eco Hair Salon), Aimee Dagnall (Andrew Scullion), Gabrielle Padurianu (John Vickerman), Lily Large (Arthur Wharton Foundation), Katie Sheridan (Arthur Wharton Foundation)
