Darlington 3 Southport 0

Goal: McGowan 18 mins, 1-0, 70 mins, 2-0, Nelson 80 mins, 3-0

Attendance 1430

Thanks to our matchball sponsor, Jesso the goalkeeper.

Quakers recorded their best win of the season so far with a 3-0 victory against Southport at Blackwell Meadows.

Attacking midfielder Will McGowan was an instant hit, scoring twice on his debut, while Andrew Nelson scored the third.

There were also good performances from two more debutants, Andy Evans and Joe Leesley.

The clean sheet was also Quakers’ sixth in the last seven matches.

Here are the goals from today's game

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l89V57RBoGU

Southport made their early intentions clear, with a long throw by Jack Doyle which the Quakers defence dealt with.

Southport had the first attempt at goal on 4 minutes, a 25 yarder by Callum Spooner which Pete Jameson held on to.

Quakers replied with a hopeful high cross by Jack Maskell from the right that Renshaw pushed over the bar. From the corner, Maskell claimed that he was impeded in the area, but the referee waved play on.

Quakers were forced into a sub on 9 minutes when Levi Andoh went down with a thigh knock, so Cameron Salkeld replaced him -- yet another injury.

When Southport made progress down their left and crossed into the middle, Will Flint was back to head the ball away.

Quakers took the lead on 18 minutes, and what a goal it was. Debutant Will McGowan picked the ball up in midfield, got past a defender to the edge of the area, and hit a left foot shot into the bottom right hand corner.

Quakers missed a chance for a second when a poor clearance by the keeper fell for Matty Cornish, and with the Southport defence in disarray, Cornish played the ball to Maskell who was adjudged offside.

Southport nearly levelled on 29 minutes when Danny Lloyd found space 25 yards out and struck a left foot shot that went just past the left hand post.

Quakers replied with a crossfield run by Mattie Cornish, who set up Scott Barrow to have a right foot shot blocked.

The game was quite scrappy after that until McGowan got the ball on the left from Maskell, cut inside, and hit a right foot shot that Renshaw saved at full stretch.

Quakers got a free kick just on half time which Joe Leesley put into the middle, but the Southport defence headed the ball away

Half time: Darlington 1 Southport 0

Southport put the Darlington defence under pressure at the start of the second half, but they kept their shape well and kept the visitors out.

Southport got a corner on 49 minutes which the defence comfortably dealt with.

Quakers won a free kick just outside the area on the right on 55 minutes,  but Leesley’s free kick was held by Renshaw at the far post.

Quakers had a chance on 59 minutes when a Leesley headed a right wing cross square for Will Hatfield to hit on the turn, but unfortunately straight at the keeper.

Southport won a free kick on 65 minutes which was floated over the Darlington defence for Jamie Proctor to come in unmarked on the blind side, and slide a shot into Jameson’s hands at the near post

Quakers got a second courtesy of a goalkeeping clanger on 70 minutes. Southport keeper Renshaw controlled a back pass but then gave it straight to McGowan, who sidestepped a defender and tapped the ball in.

 It was 3-0 on 80 minutes, Leesley swung a free kick over from the left to the far post, where Nelson, from an acute angle, drove the ball across the keeper into the top corner of the net.

There was nearly a fourth, when Nelson found space on the edge of the area and fired straight at Renshaw.

Jameson made a late save from Lloyd to keep Quakers’ sixth successive clean sheet in the league.

Final score: Darlington 3 Southport 0

Team: Jameson, Evans (sub Payne 89), Lees, Barrow, Andoh (sub Salkeld 9 mins), Leesley (sub Small 82), Hatfield, Flint, Cornish (sub Nelson 77), McGowan, Maskell

Subs:  Rivers

Bookings: Evans, Leesley

Southport@ Renshaw, Doyle, Spooner, Knight-Percival, Lloyd-McGoldrick, Carver, Quansah, Keane, Carroll-Burgess, Minihan, Philiskirk

Subs: Thomson, Morgan, Proctor, Moore, Russ