Whitby 1 Darlington 7

Darlington are champions of the EvoStik Northern Premier League after a scintillating performance at the Turnbull Grounf

What a blistering start for Quakers! They couldn't have asked for better as Graeme Armstrong scores a quick fire hat trick in a five goal blast in the first 20 minutes. They didn't look like a team that has played twice already this week.

Quakers took the lead after 2 minutes. A long clearance was picked up by Stephen Thompson, who ran into the box, and slotted the ball neatly past the keeper just inside the right hand post.

Quakers went 2-0 up on 7 minutes when Terry Galbraith curled a free kick over from the right for former Whitby player Kevin Burgess to powerfully head in.

It was 3-0 on 9 minutes when Adam Mitchell crossed for another former Whitby man Graeme Armstrong to head into the top corner!

It was nearly four when a ball came in from the right hand side, and Nathan Cartman couldn’t quite guide the ball home.

Quakers had another chance on 15 minutes when Galbraith curled a free kick over to the far post for Burgess to nod back, and Cartman, with an overhead kick, was unlucky to shoot straight at the keeper.

Amazingly It was 4-0 on 16 minutes when Leon Scott made a great run into the box and pulled the ball back for Armstrong to slot home at the near post.

And Armstrong got his hat trick on 20 minutes with another  header from Mitchell’s corner left wing corner -- a hat trick in 11 minutes! Army has now got 13 league goals this season.

It's difficult to keep up!

Nearly 6 when Burgess set up Scott who fired straight at Bland, then Armstrong headed a right wing cross from Portas just wide.

Whitby got a penalty on 29 minutes when the referee said that Gary Brown was adjudged to have pushed Michael Roberts and the ref pointed to the spot, but Jameson guessed correctly by diving to his left and pushing the ball away.

It was nearly 6 again when Cartman cleverly beat his man just inside the box, and fired across the face of goal.

Quakers got a penalty on 39 minutes when Scott was brought down, and Galbraith scored from the spot. When was the last time Darlo scored six goals in less than 45 minutes of football?

Nearly seven when Brown laid the ball off for Galbraith whose shot was cleared off the line.

The Darlo fans are singing "If you're going to Vanarama clap your hands"

Half time

Whitby 0 Darlington 6

The second half , not surprisingly, started much quieter than the first. Whitby haven't given up, and they're getting into the game more.

Gary Brown was just wide with a header from a Galbraith corner.

Whitby kept going, and nearly pulled one back with a long range shot by Dale Hopson that dipped just over the bar.

It was 7-0 on 69 minutes when Galbraith’s cross into the box was headed away only as far as the edge of the box where Leon Scott won possession and blasted the ball into the roof of the net.

The Darlington fans who are here at the Turnbull Ground and listening on DFR and other means, will never ever forget this night. What a performance!

Whitby pulled a goal back through Hopson on 81 minutes, but that didn’t dampen the spirits as the celebrations began

Attendance 1,804, of which well over 1200 from must be from Darlington.

Teams:

Darlington: Jameson, Mitchell, Weldon, Galbraith, Burgess, Brown, Portas, Scott, Armstrong, Cartman, Thompson

Subs: Purewal, White, Saunders, Gaskell, Provett

Whitby: Bland, Martin, Howes, Gell, Roddam, Robinson, Hopson, McTiernan (sub Charmey 60), Roberts, Waters, McWilliams

Subs: Scarth, Charmey, Hume, Poole Dixon