Tonight's game is sponsored by Atkinson's Coaches

https://atkinsoncoaches.co.uk/tours

And our matchball sponsor is Martin Cundy, who won this sponsorship in a raffle for Darlington MIND

Darlington 0 Curzon Ashton 2

Hayhurst 25 mins, 0-1, 75 mins, 0-2

Attendance 1159

Quakers were beaten by a goal in each half and are now a point behind the play off places.

Quakers had some good chances in the first half, but they fell behind on 25 minutes, and they were furious with the referee's decision to only show Curzon defender Marcus Poscha a yellow card instead of a red for a last man foul on Jacob Hazel.

The result leaves Quakers in eighth, a point behind the play off places.

Here's the post match interview from manager Alun Armstrong

https://darlingtonfc.co.uk/news/we-seem-to-have-lost-our-mojo

Curzon won a free kick on their right in the second minute which was headed away by Jake Cooper. It led to some head tennis before Quakers managed to clear the ball.

Curzon won a corner on 6 minutes and the ball was floated into the middle where Jimmy Spencer’s header was saved by Tommy Taylor.

Curzon got another free kick on the left, and it ended with the ball being hoisted into the six yard box for Taylor to hold on to.

Quakers gained a free kick on 13 minutes just outside the box for a foul on Hazel, but Ben Liddle curled the ball over the top.

They went close a minute later, when Ben Hedley crossed from the right for Liddle to head just wide, and then in their next attack, Hazel had a right foot shot that was heading for the top corner until Chris Renshaw saved.

Hazel had another chance on 16 minutes when he tried his luck from the edge of the area, and the ball went just past the upright.

Curzon took the lead on 25 minutes when Adam Barton got away down the right, crossed into the middle for Hayden Campbell to have a header saved by Taylor, and Will Hayhurst was on hand to touch the ball home.

Quakers thought there should have been a red card on 28 minutes when Jack Lambert sent Hazel racing away. Hazel was pulled back by Poscha, who appeared to be the last man, but the ref only showed the defender a yellow card. The free kick was deflected for a corner.

Lambert’s flag kick was curled in, and it bounced off the crossbar.

Quakers went close from another corner on 35 minutes, which was whipped in by Lambert, and a defender, who tried to clear, could only deflect the ball towards his own goal and Renshaw saved.

Quakers gained another free kick for a foul by Matthews who was booked, but Lambert's free kick was cleared for a corner.

Half time 0-1

Quakers started the second half with a good cross from the right by Hedley that was headed away on the six yard line.

They then won a free kick on the right near the corner flag, but Liddle’s effort went over everyone in the middle.

Curzon had a half chance when a ball forward was deflected out to sub Ryan Hall, who hooked the ball across the face of goal.

Curzon got a free kick 30 yards out, which Craig Mahon lifted over the wall but against the crossbar.

Quakers brought on Kaine Felix for Jake Cooper and won a corner on 68 minutes, but Curzon broke away and from it and nearly scored, when Hayhurst broke through and forced Taylor into a good save.

But the ball came back into the Darlington box, and Taylor had to make a point blank save from Hall.

Quakers almost equalised when Liddle crossed low into the middle from the left for Hazel to have two close range efforts blocked, but Curzon were soon back at the other end, and Mahon crossed from the right for Hayhurst to head his second goal of the game.

Quakers missed a great chance on 84 minutes when Blyth nodded down a Newall cross for Felix, who couldn’t get his shot on target.

It was nearly three at the other end when Barton won possession, ran into the box, but curled his shot wide.

Final score: 0-2

Team: Taylor, Hedley, Sukar, Cooper, (sub Felix 62) Lawlor, Newall, Liddle (sub Blyth 76), Purver, (sub Moke 76) Lambert, Nelson, Hazel

Subs: Rose,  Brookwell

Booking: Lambert Sukar

Curzon: Renshaw, Poscha, Matthews, Boyle, Peers, Hayhurst, Waring, Spencer, Mahon, Barton, Campbell

Subs: Hall, Hancock, Armstrong, Richards