Darlington 3 Chester 2

Goals: 1-0  J Taylor og  17mins, 2-0 Salkeld 39 mins, 3-0 Ngandu. 42 mins. 3-1 Weeks 57 minutes 3-2 Glendon 70 mins 

Thanks to our match sponsors, DAFTS

https://dafts1883.wordpress.com/

and our matchball sponsors, CADEC

https://www.cadec.co.uk/

Quakers secured their first home league win of the season with a nailbiting 3-2 win over Chester.

They led 3-0 at half time, but Chester staged a second half rally that had everyone on the edge of their seats, especially in a very long ten minutes of stoppage time.

Here's the reactions from Josh Gowling and Cameron Salkeld

https://darlingtonfc.co.uk/news/post-match-reaction-from-darlington-v-chester

Quakers had Kallum Griffiths booked for a foul on Adam Thomas just outside the Darlington area, but he appeared to get a foot on the ball.

George Glendon curled the free kick around the wall, and hit the left hand post, and Kieran Burton got the ball away for a corner that came to nothing.

Quakers took the lead on 17 minutes. Ben Hedley crossed deep from the left towards Cameron Salkeld at the far post where Chester defender Joel Taylor, tried to head clear, but only succeeded in putting in a looping header that dropped into the corner of the net.

Chester tried to hit back, and Lawlor cleverly shepherded a through ball back to Taylor .

Quakers got a free kick on the left on 26 minutes which Ngandu curled into the box, and after the ball took a deflection, Burton headed wide.

Quakers steadily built in confidence after that, but they had their hearts in their mouths when Glendon went down in the area, but the ref waved play on.

Quakers went 2-0 up on 39 minutes, when Salkeld picked the ball up 25 yards out, ran at the defence into the box, took another touch and fired across Will Stanway into the net.

It was 3-0 on 42 minutes. Jarrett Rivers picked the ball up on the left and played Jonny Ngandu through, and he slipped the ball past the advancing Stanway into the net for his first goal for the club.

Half time 3-0

Chester started the second half quickly, and sub Kieran Coates raced up the left and crossed into the near post where Tommy Taylor held on

Quakers replied with a shot on the turn by Lindley that Stanway held on to at the foot of his post.

But Chester pulled one back on 57 minutes with a shot by Declan Weeks from the edge of the box that took a deflection and beat Taylor.

Quakers were forced back into their final third, but Griffiths and Burton both made good clearances under pressure.

And Chester got another back on 70 minutes when Coates crossed from the right, Williams headed against the bar, and Glendon forced the ball in

Quakers made a change on 72 minutes, Blaine Rowe coming on for Griffiths.

They made another two changes, with Moke and Hazel coming on for Nelson and Salkeld as they tried to hold on.

Quakers had a chance on the break on 80 minutes when Hazel won possession and sent Hatfield clear, but the midfielder hit the side netting.

Chester forced two last minute corners as the tension mounted , but they got the ball away, Taylor held on to a left wing cross to loud cheers.

There was nearly a fourth when Hazel charged Stanway’s clearance down,but the ball went wide.

Full time Darlington 3 Chester 2

After the final whistle, Chester had defender Tom Peers red carded for his part in an incident involving Will Hatfield, which led to a scuffle on the field involving both sets of players.

Team: Taylor, Griffiths (sub Rowe 72), Lawlor, Burton, Hedley, Ngandu, Hatfield, Lindley, Rivers, Salkeld (sub Moke 78), Nelson (sub Hazel 77)

Subs: Lees, Simms

Booking: Griffiths, Taylor, Lawlor, Ngunda

Chester:

Stanway, Taylor, Weeks, Williams, Peers, Glendon, Whitehouse, Thomas, Sparrow, Roberts, Edwards

Subs: Burke, Caton, Norton, Murray, Coates

Bookings: Sparrow, Edwards