Here's a round up of how our youth teams fared last weekend in the Russell Foster Youth League and the Teesside Junior Football Alliance League.

Because of FA rules, we're unable to publish the results of any matches involving Under 11s and below.

Saturday 7th January 2023:

RFYL Girls U13 Cup:

Boldon FC 3-1 Darlington FC U12s

POTM: Maizie Wrangham

Team Coach Mick Walton said; "Finally got to play our cup game after it had been postponed twice already. A tight first half which saw Boldon go in with a 1-0 lead. We came out second half but were soon two down with another breakaway goal!
Once Boldon had got a third it was game over although we missed a pen and grabbed a consolation goal with ten minutes left and the girls kept going but unfortunately we just couldn’t break down a well organised Boldon defence. A tough game today but our girls kept going against a good team who took their chances".

RFYL Girls U14 Division One: 

Cleveland Hall Juniors FC 1-7 Darlington FC Feethams

Goalscorers: AC (4), CN, IR & RS

POTM: RS 

Team Coach Paul Ross said; "A fantastic start to the game as our Feetham girls took an early lead through AC with some neat work to slot it home. This was quickly followed by a fantastic shot by CN to put 2-0 up at half time. The Feetham girls had the majority of the possession in the first half limiting our opponents to very few chances, we had chance after chance in the first half and should have been out of sight before the first half had ended. We spoke to the girls at half time not to encourage our opponents and let them back into the game, and as soon as the kick off started we scored again within a minute through some lovely link up play again by AC. We had a spell of twenty minutes where we scored a further three goals. Unfortunately, our opponents did score as we were looking for that clean sheet towards the end of the game, but we added another goal towards the end to seal a comfortable victory. A very dominate display by the Feetham girls today starting the year and we need to build on this as there will be tough tests along the way".

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RFYL Girls U14 Premier Division:

Durham Boro Rangers FC 0-2 Darlington FC Quakers

Goalscorers: Scarlett S & Daisy L

POTM: Scarlett W

Team Coach Shaun Mackenzie said; "A cold and wet morning for the Quaker girls to return to action for their first game in 2023. Girls were fantastic from minute one till the final whistle in difficult conditions on a poor pitch that soon ripped up. They got a well deserved goal from Scarlett S with a great finish after some good work from Scarlett W. The girls led 1-0 at half time and continued to create chance after chance in the second half but couldn’t get the second to kill the game off. Full credit to a good Boro Rangers side who never stopped with no subs and 1 player less. However, Darlington’s energy and desire to win the game today was too much and they were awarded a penalty in the last few minutes after an excellent break from Scarlett W saw her brought down in the box. Daisy L stepped up and calmly converted for a well deserved 3 points for the Quakers Girls get the year of to a great start".

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RFYL Boys U10 Premier Division: 

Darlington FC Quakers Vs. Sunderland Westend FC

Goalscorers: TB5 (2) and JN9

Team Coach Lee Childs said; "An absolutely brilliant performance this morning from the lads. We went in to the game only losing once in our last 24 games, which was against todays opponents. We started a little slowly and got caught on the break early on with the west end player shooting wide. This acted as a wake up call and the boys then really started to play. The game was a very tight affair in the first half and we took the lead thanks to a great delivery from JN9 from a corner which was turned in by TB5. We went in to half time with a narrow lead. The second half continued in a similar pattern to the first with both teams playing some excellent football. CR1 made a great save to keep us ahead in the game and maintain his clean sheet. The boys worked tirelessly all game, putting their bodies on the line and giving everything. We were let off from a corner when west end hit the bar from a great headed chance. Shortly after we scored a well worked second goal with TB5 producing a great half volley finish. The game continued to be end to end with the lads throwing themselves at everything west end had to offer. We scored a third on the counter late on thanks to JN9 showing great instinct to finish from a save following a saved effort. This was an excellent performance from the lads this morning. These boys are a lovely footballing side but today their work rate and commitment was just as good as the football they play".

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RFYL Boys U10 Premier Division: 

Darlington FC Feethams Vs. Whitburn & Cleadon FC

POTM: IC

Team Coach Dom Webber said; "The boys played very well this morning and were extremely unlucky not to come away with a win. They completely dominated for the first fifteen minutes, creating several chances to talked the lead. Unfortunately, the opposite happened and a free kick by the opposition somehow found its way in. While we were still recovering from that and some enforced changes, Whitburn hit us with a sucker punch of a counter attack goal. However, the Darlo boys showed they had character and continued to press, grabbing a goal back from IC before half time. In the second half Whitburn played with more confidence but still Darlington were unlucky not to find an equaliser, eventually conceding a third towards the end of the game. They say luck evens itself out over the course of the season, we are due an amazing run of good fortune between now and the end of the year".

RFYL Boys U13 League Cup:

Darlington FC 4-0 Washington FC

Goalscorers: Oscar, Bobby, Daniel & Jenson

POTM: Bobby

Team Coach Richie Allen said; "We came up against a very strong Washington side in the third round of the cup who currently sit second in the premier league. The Darlo boys turned up and put on a unbelievable footballing performance, taking control of the game from the first whistle all the way through to the end. After a very strong first half we were unlucky to go in at half time with the scoreline 0-0. The second half was much the same with Darlo on top, Oscar Allan breaking the deadlock then the gates opened and we came away with a comfortable 4-0 victory".

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Sunday 8th January 2022:

TJFA Boys U7 League Cup:

Guisborough FC Vs. Darlington FC 

POTM: OM

Team Coach Wayne Rudd said; "The U7s had a good result against Guisborough today and progressed to the next round of the cup. OMc scored some superb goals and was today's player of the match".

TJFA Boys U10 League Cup: 

Darlington FC Feethams Vs. Nunthorpe Athletic FC Yellows

Goalscorers: HS, OR, JW and ZH (3)

POTM: HS & ZH

Team Coach Dom Webber said; "The boys came flying out of the blocks, applying pressure on the opposition and a smart passing move led to a goal from HS. Nunthorpe dug in and held the scoreline to that until half time, despite several chances to extend our lead. At half time we talked about how we play better when we pass the ball around players rather than dribbling. This had an immediate effect and the boys scored two quick goals, one of which was an outstanding passing move involving every single player and which swept across the entire pitch. Nunthorpe never gave in and had some chances of their own, scoring one but the Darlo boys found three more before the final whistle to secure a resounding victory. Safely through to the next round of the cup".

TJFA Boys U10 League Cup:

FC Hartlepool Vs. Darlington FC Quakers 

Goalscorer: JB6

Team Coach Lee Childs said; "What can I say about the result today. We are obviously disappointed with how things worked out but I can not fault the boys for their effort today, they worked their socks off and created chances but it just wasn’t our day. With injury and absence we were down to only 7 players today, all of who played the day before and gave everything in a top of the table clash. We looked sluggish early on and went behind early in the game. Immediately after the boys rallied and were unlucky not to be level soon after with a parried shot that looked to be over the line but the goal was not given by the referee. We then got a hold of the game and deservedly levelled through JB6 from a well worked move and excellent cross from IT8. From then on it we pressed for a winner which didn’t come thanks to the opposition keeper making a triple save and a Hartlepool defender making an excellent goal line clearance. The game ended 1-1 and sadly we lost out on penalties.A really hard fought weekend for the boys which didn’t end the way they deserved".

TJFA Boys U17 Division One:

Leven FC 0-0 Darlington FC

Team Coach Grant Cuthbertson said; "On a torrential afternoon in Yarm, the lads played their first game since 27th November 2022. The lads played like the weather at the time (grey). Too many touches, loose passes and wrong decisions. Lads are obviously disappointed with a 0-0 draw, but take the positives of not losing and a clean sheet and learn from it and take the desire in to next weeks game".