Darlington 0 Chester 1

Bogle-Campbell 57 mins, 0-1

THanks to our matchball sponsors Nxtgen

https://darlingtonfc.co.uk/news/nxt-gen-coaching-back-the-quakers-as-matchball-sponsors

..... home debuts for Amari Smith and Brad Walker

...... midfielder Paddy McLaughlin is man of the match

....... three points now from three games

Quakers were beaten by a second half goal from the early league leaders at Blackwell Meadows.

But they could take heart from a bright and hard-working performance in which Amaru Smith was quite a handful for the first hour. However, they didn't have enough quality to break down their visitors.

Chester had the first half chance in the opening minute, when former Darlo player Jacob Hazel laid the ball off for Tom Peers to hit a first time shot well wide

Quakers had an opportunity at the other end when Scott Barrow found Ciaran Thompson with a good crossfield pass, and his low cross was volleyed towards goal by Mark Beck, but the flag went up for offside.

A good run in from the left by Amaru Smith saw him set up Dylan Stephenson, whose right foot effort from 25 yards went wide

When Chester got to the edge of the Darlo box, Stanton put in a good sliding block, then Smith nipped in to stop another attack.

Chester nearly sneaked one when Woods got between Thompson and Jones and poked the ball across the six yard box, but Barrow managed to clear.

Then Peers got around the back of the Darlington defence and set up Nathan Woodthorpe, who pulled his effort wide.

But Quakers responded with another good turn and run by Smith, who fed Beck, who in turn found Stanton to fire wide from the edge of the area.

McLaughlin then won possession and found the overlapping Smith, whose cross from the left was too close to Chester keeper Luke Hewitson.

Chester missed a good chance when Peers mishit a right foot shot towards goal, and Hazel could only direct the ball wide, then on the stroke of half time Peers broke clean through, but Jones, once of Chester, saved well at his feet.

There was time for Quakers to win a free kick on the right which McLaughlin curled in, but Beck couldn’t reach the ball ahead of the defender.

Half time: Darlington 0 Chester 0

Chester started the second half at a faster pace, and Quakers defended well in a scramble in the 18 yard box, but the visitors nearly scored a fluke own goal when Sam Reed, out on the left, played the ball back into his own 18 yard box, and the ball went in between keeper Hewitson and his defenders, and just went past the post.

Chester broke through on 57 minutes. The ball was played in from the left for Hazel to lay off for Bogle-Campbell to hit a low right foot shot into the bottom left corner.

And they would have got a second if Thompson hadn’t put in a great challenge on Connor Woods when he was racing through.

Quakers responded by taking off Smith for Sam Hetherington, then Ellis Stanton and Dylan Stephenson came off for Aidan Rutledge and Tom Bryant.

Quakers kept going, and after a good move Hetherington had a shot blocked.

They forced a corner on 83 rd minute which got the crowd going, but unfortunately the ball ended in the keeper’s hands.

Final Darlington 0 Chester 1

Team: Jones, Thompson, Walker, Barrow, Hedley, Stanton (sub Bryant 70), McLaughlin, Henson, Stephenson (Rutledge 70), Smith (sub Hetherington 60), Beck.

Subs: Lees, Mason, Bryant, Wilkinson, Rutledge

Booking: WAlker 15 mins, Stephenson 34 mins