Darlington 5 Worksop 1

Scorers: Rutledge 24 mins 1-0, Burrow 25 mins, 1-1, McGowan 39 mins, 2-1, Howells 48 mins, 3-1, Lennon 75 mins 4-1, Maskell 82 mins 5-1

Attendance 1019

Darlington beat Worksop in impressive style to record their second home league win of the season.

A goal by Aidan Rutledge was cancelled out by the visitors, but then Will McGowan, Max Howells, Charlie Lennon and Jack Maskell put Quakers well in command. Not even a brief floodlight failure at half time could stop the home side, although club officials were keeping their fingers crossed near the end.

Here are the goals:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuLYld0Ocpc

and Steve's post match interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9o3wSJUeAo

Worksop had the first half chance of the game, a left wing cross came in from Regan Hutchinson, which former Darlington player Liam Hughes headed wide.

Worksop won the first corner on the left in 3 minutes, but Quakers headed the ball away.

Quakers nearly scored on 5 minutes. Max Howells crossed from the right for Jack Maskell to have an effort touched on to the bar by Tommy Taylor, and in their next attack following the corner, Maskell had a shot deflected wide.

The home side nearly broke through on 10 minutes when  there was a mix up on the edge of the Worksop area, and just as Howells was about to get through, a defender poked the ball away.

Charlie Lennon then found space on the left to cross into the middle, where Aidan Rutledge headed wide.

Quakers went close from a free kick on 20 minutes which Will McGowan floated into the middle, and Elliot Forbes headed straight at Taylor from eight yards out.

Quakers took the lead on 24 minutes. Howells broke well and found Will McGowan on the left, he helped the ball on to Charlie Lennon, who then played the ball inside for Aidan Rutledge to slot home.

But Worksop levelled within a minute, when Regan Hutchinson played a 1-2 and then squared the ball across for Jordan Burrow to beat Daryll Ombang at his near post.

Quakers were awarded a free kick for a foul just outside the area on 36 minutes, but McGowan’s left footed free kick was blocked by the wall, and Scott Barrow’s follow up was blocked by a defender at the second attempt.

The home side went back in front on 39 minutes. A good build up on the left saw Barrow fire the ball low into the middle where Maskell stepped over the ball, and McGowan had time to pick his spot and score his fifth goal of the season.

Half time: Darlington 2 Worksop 1

After a delay because of a floodlight failure during half time, Quakers made the score 3-1 after 48 minutes, when Howells played a 1-2 with Rutledge, took a touch, and then fired right footed across Taylor into the bottom left corner.

Howells nearly got another, when he dribbled into the box from the right, but saw his low left foot shot well saved by Taylor.

Quakers got a free kick on the left for a foul, and McGowan swung the ball over for Forbes to head over the top.

Worksop nearly pulled a goal back, but Ombang did well to block Hughes’ effort after the ball broke to him just outside the box.

The impressive Maskell nearly scored a fourth though when he turned a defender inside out on the left, and then fired across the face of goal.

It was 4-1 on 75 minutes, when a deep free kick was headed away as far as Charlie Lennon, who controlled the ball well, and curled it into the bottom right hand corner for his second goal since coming on loan from Middlesbrough.

Worksop were reduced to ten men on 76 minutes when Hutchinson was red carded for a late challenge on Lennon, and from the free kick, the ball was knocked down to Rutledge, who was denied at point blank range by Taylor.

Quakers went nap on 82 minutes when McGowan found Elliott on the left, and he crossed into the middle where Maskell chested the ball down and fired left footed past Taylor, his eighth goal of the season.

Final score: Darlington 5 Worksop 1

Team: Ombang, Barrow, Lees, Forbes, Platt, McLaughlin (sub Stanton 86), Howells (sub Hedley 78), McGowan, Lennon (sub Allan 84), Rutledge (sub Cornish 87), Maskell

Subs: McGrath, Barton