Darlington Women 7 Stockton Town Ladies 1

Darlington Women continued their climb up the league with another great win on Sunday, by beating Stockton Town 7-1 at Longfield.

The Women also stretched their unbeaten start to the league season to seven games, and took their total number of goals for the season to 30. They beat Birtley 9-0 last week.

Manager Shaun MacKenzie said; “The first half was really frantic and scrappy, but the second half was really positive from our point of view.

“Our players were much calmer and more composed in the second half, and passed the ball around much better. They scored some good goals, and so we were really pleased.

“They were three good points – we need to keep winning matches and put the pressure on the leaders now.”

Here’s the match report from Chris Barrett:

The game started with a bang as Darlington flew out of the blocks and began with a high press. After winning the ball moments after the kick off, the ball was played through the middle to Sophie Curle who tried to round the keeper who brought her down. A penalty was given, and a yellow card brandished to the Stockton keeper. 

Curle stepped up to take it herself and calmly placed it low into the corner to give Darlington the lead.

The game restarted and Darlington did not relent and again pressed for the ball back. After regaining possession, the ball was again played through the middle by Aimee Dagnall to Curle who got the shot away and finished for a 2-0 lead after just three minutes. 

The game levelled out, but it was a scrappy affair with some questionable decisions going either way with Stockton waiting until the 7th minute to get their first shot away but it was saved well by Martina Cuccunato.  After 20 minutes a well-timed tackle was adjudged to be a foul against Darlington giving Stockton a penalty. The players were incensed further, when after politely questioning the decision the referee, he decided to yellow card and sin bin Dagnall for dissent.

Cuccunato stood tall and saved the penalty, getting a strong hand to the ball pushing it away preserving Darlington’s lead.

Darlington remained strong for the rest of the half and into injury time of the first half, Dagnall got the ball in the middle of the park and managed to drive through the defence and slot it past the Stockton keeper to make it 3-0.

The second half started quite even with the game becoming more free flowing but the first chance in the second half did not come until the 58th minute, when Chloe Bright played the ball to Emma Doudican who lifted the ball over the keeper just landing it on the bar.  A minute later, Darlington got their fourth when the Dagnall/Curle combination worked again through the middle with Curle completing her hat trick forcing the ball home. 

Just after the hour mark, a Dagnall throw to Curle was just too long but the resulting tackle led to the ball dropping to Doudican’s feet who settled and fired low into the bottom left evading the keeper. 

On 65 minutes, Bright got hold of the ball on the right hand side of the box and her shot was spilled by the keeper but the ball made its way to Curle who tried to put it across the keeper which looked like it would be cut out by the Stockton defence, however Doudican was there to ensure Darlington got their sixth.

Stockton managed to get themselves a consolation goal when the ball was cut out in the middle and the attacker was quick thinking in shooting straight away from 20 yards managing to lob the keeper making it 6-1.

Darlington would have the last say as late in the game they won a throw which Doudican took quick to play in to Olivia Whitworth who with limited space near the by line had great feet and composure to dribble into the box and from an acute angle put the ball across goal to score off the far post for the goal of the day. 

It was not Darlington’s strongest performance and they will need to maintain a strong defensive unit but will be happy with their attacking showing and will hope to maintain this for their next game against Hebburn next Sunday at Eastbourne.

Player of the Match: Martina Cuccunato

STARTING XI

Cuccunato, Wearmouth, Peart, Carter, Garnett, Upton, Dagnall, Whitworth, Doudican, Raine, Curle 

Subs: Tinkler, Frew, Bright, Padurariu

Subs used: 

Bright for Raine 

Padurariu for Garnett 

Tinkler for Peart 

Frew for Whitworth 

Full time result: 

Darlington FC Women 7-1 Stockton Town Ladies FC

Goalscorers 

1-0 Darlington - Curle 2’

2-0 Darlington - Curle 3’

3-0 Darlington - Dagnall 45’

Half time 3-0

4-0 Darlington - Curle 60’

5-0 Darlington - Doudican 61’

6-0 Darlington - Doudican 66’

6-1 Stockton - 74’

7-1 Darlington - Whitworth 89’

We’d like to thank the following kit sponsors:

We’d like to thank the following 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), Sophie Curle (Franks Carpets), 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)