League

Long Hanborough Stad
Spectators: 5000 (Terracing: 4000, Seating: 1000, VIP seats: 0) Dean Wroe made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Jonathon Cole in the 7th minute of play. Harvey Lewington sent away a hard shot on goal in the 8th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Roy Anderson took a chance and fired a shot far from the goal in the 12th minute, but it turned out to be a dangerous situation for Dean Wroe. Darlington City's goalkeeper really had to stretch himself to stop the ball from crossing the goal line. After a defensive mix-up in Long Hanborough's zone, Louie Hicks stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Denny Bennet came out of the goal and Louie Hicks tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Leo Welch kicked well hit freekick during the 18th minute of the match. A collision led to Darlington City getting a freekick after 21 minutes play. Seth Pickering hit a great ball. Harvey Lewington sent away a hard shot on goal in the 24th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Louie Hicks fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 26th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Denny Bennet having to interfere. Jonathon Cole struck a weak shot in the 33rd minute. Dean Wroe didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Long Hanborough. In the 35th minute Jonathon Cole shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Dean Wroe saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Damon Chipperfield fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 36th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Dean Wroe having to interfere. With a little luck, Darlington City's Dean Wroe got control of the ball when Damon Chipperfield tried to sneak it across the goal line. Rich Elding's late challenge caught a Long Hanborough's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Rich Elding helped the player get up and apologised. The supporters of Long Hanborough booed when Darlington City was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 48 match minutes in a wonderful position. Rich Elding didn't get a good kick on the ball. After the first half the score was level. The break gave the players a chance to catch their breath, whilst the managers went over the tactics with them again.

When the second half was about to start, both teams quickly lined up and Jonathon Cole made a kick off. Dean Wroe didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Damon Chipperfield went, in the 52nd minute, to the upper right corner, 1-0 was the resulting score. 56 minutes into the match, Darlington City's goal looked a bit too open when Jonathon Cole came free, but Dean Wroe reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Victor Little received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 58th minute. Dean Wroe tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. The supporters of Long Hanborough booed when Darlington City was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 59 match minutes in a wonderful position. Terry Shipperley didn't get a good kick on the ball. With splendid footwork Louie Hicks arrived in front of goal to shoot 1-1 by the left pole in the game's 64th minute. Long Hanborough's Denny Bennet played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Harvey Lewington in the 69th minute of play. Harvey Lewington sent away a hard shot on goal in the 71st minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. Louie Hicks fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 72nd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Denny Bennet having to interfere. In the 74th minute, Darlington City's Louie Hicks dribbled the ball into the box and hit a shot with the outside of his foot, sending the keeper the wrong way. 1-2. If Damon Chipperfield had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 79th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. The audience thought a goal was coming when Louie Hicks got free with Denny Bennet in the 82nd minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Dean Wroe showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Victor Little, who was totally free with the ball in the 88th minute. After a defensive mix-up in Darlington City's zone, Jonathon Cole stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Dean Wroe came out of the goal and Jonathon Cole tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. An unexpectedly hard shot by Jonathon Cole in the 93rd minute of play forced Darlington City's goalkeeper Dean Wroe to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. If Jonathon Cole had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 96th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. The referee blew the final whistle, and the away crowd roared, having watched Darlington City eke out a victory against a very well matched opponent.