25-02-23. Match report Vs Darlington FC

A spirited Harriers get a point

Report: Phil Lench

A much improved showing from the Harriers at Darlington FC drew an end to a disappointingly poor February for both the club and fans alike. The only win this month came just a few miles up the road from todays game at Spennymoor Town with all the other four games ending in defeat and don’t even mention the Banbury Utd game last Saturday!

With Darlington going well near the top of the table this was always pencilled in to be a tough trip for us but any pep talks delivered in the run up to the game seemed to have worked as we took the game to the hosts from the off.

Tom Palmer returned to the starting eleven following a training ground injury to Christian Dibble while Alex Penny dropped to the bench following, somewhat unfair, criticism for Tuesdays defeat at Chorley FC. Joe Foulkes replaced Alex while the only other change was Zak Brown going to the bench in favour of Kai Lissimore.

It was the hosts that made the first foray forwards when the dangerous Jacob Hazel tested Palmer but thankfully he put no power behind the shot and Tom saved easily. Amari Morgan-Smith then followed suit with a similar chance at the other end of the pitch. Harriers then made the early running following that with two chances for Foulkes, of all people, with his first shot that forced the Darlo keeper, Tommy Taylor, to tip his shot over the bar instead of the corner of the net. Not long after he sent a shot over the bar.

In-between those two chances there was a bit of a goalmouth scramble to clear a Darlington chance away with Palmer eventually knocking the ball over the bar for a corner. Ashley Hemmings then went close for us with another over the bar shot before playing Caleb Richards in for his turn in taking a pot shot.

Darlington also had a couple of chances that fell for Kaine Felix and Jack Lambert but they were both dealt with admirably. 

HT: 0 – 0

The Harriers got the second half underway with a continuation of the pressure shown during the first. Kyle Morrison had the best chance of the game with a header from a corner that, somehow, Taylor managed to save. Kallum Griffiths, for the hosts, went close soon after with a shot over the bar before we responded again with a Jack Bearne effort that went over yet again.

With Hemmings picking up a bit of a knock we made our first change with Zak Brown coming on for him. Maybe Ethan Freemantle would have been a better choice to accompany AMS upfront with the later not getting many chances for himself but making chances for others.

In-between subs Kai Lissimore surged forwards with one of his tricky runs but his shot took a deflection on its way in and went out for a corner just before Alex Penny came on for Joe Foulkes.

Darlo had a couple of penalty shouts but the referee was having none of it with the second shout being given as offside instead. Four minutes from the end of normal time came the late chance for the home side that we all were dreading when Hazel turned on the spot and fired a shot in. Thankfully there wasn’t enough power on it to trouble Palmer and he scooped the ball up easily.

The three minutes of added on time passed without issue and at least we could come away with a confidence boosting point. If only we had someone that could actually put the ball into the net we’d be dangerous. 

FT: 0 – 0

Talk about the game here

Latest table and stats here

Darlington FC	Goals	Subs	Time	Cards
Taylor
Griffiths
Sukar
Cooper
Wheater
Purver
Liddle			82
Moké			46
Hazel
Lambert
Felix			46
Subs:
Rose			46
Rivers			82
Newall
Brookwell
Williams			46
Harriers	Goals	Subs	Time	Cards
Palmer
Foulkes			80
Richards
Knight-Percival
Pearce
Morrison
Byrne
Lissimore
Morgan-Smith
Hemmings			69
Bearne
Subs:
Penny			80
Owen-Evans
Brown			69
Freemantle
McNally
Referee:
Mr Claudio Gavillucci
The Wirral