Bishop Auckland 0 Darlington 5

Attendance 665

Darlington comfortably won their first pre season friendly at Heritage Park.

Quakers played some excellent attacking football, with manager Steve Watson making use of the fixture by making ten changes at half time to have a look at a few triallists, a couple of whom were quite impressive.

Quakers created some good chances in the first half as they took the game to their NPL East hosts, and deservedly took the lead on 30 minutes when Joe Leesley, who played in an advanced role, curled the ball in from the left, for Cedric Main to score from six yards.

The visitors went close a couple more times before they made it 2-0 on 54 minutes, when former Newcastle youngster Michael Ndiweni coolly slotted the ball home after Jack Maskell had set him up inside the area.

Maskell, who came on as a second half sub, opened his Darlington account with a firm header from six yards out from a corner.

It was 4-0 on 81 minutes when former Hartlepool youngster Archie Small, playng at centre half, raced forward and hit a left foot shot that struck the inside of the post, and Cameron Salkeld knocked in the rebound.

It was nearly five right at the end, but Ben Hedley's dipping right foot shot hit the underside of the bar, but there wasn't long to wait when Salkeld dribbled past three defenders and beat the keeper for his second goal of the game.

Quakers next friendly is at Hebburn on Tuesday night.

Here's a post match interview with Steve:

The first half team:

Pete Jameson, Kallum Griffiths, Elliott Forbes, Scott Barrow, Jonny Haas, Will Hatfield, Tom Platt, Joe Leesley, Belchior Rodrigues, Cedric Main, Andrew Nelson

The second half team: Pete Jameson, Harrison Hopper, Toby Lees, Archie Small, Ben Hedley, Alex Payne, Matty Cornish, Jarrett Rivers, Cameron Salkeld, Jack Maskell, Michael Ndiweni