Darlington 0 York City 2

Kempster 58, McLaughlin 86

Attendance 2023

Quakers were left wondering why they didn't collect a point from this home game against the league leaders.

Stephen Thompson went narrowly close with a 50 yard wonder effort, Jarrett Rivers hit the post and chances went begging as Quakers drew a blank.

And their injury problems continued when centre half Louis Laing went off with a hamstring injury when the scores were goalless, and now he's doubtful for next Saturday's FA Cup tie at Trafford.

In the opening minutes Stephen Thompson  produced a brilliant piece of skill, when he picked the ball up on the half way line, spotted Peter Jameson off his line, and struck the ball over the keeper’s head, but it dropped just over the bar.

Will Hatfield then played a 1-2 to get into the box, and he fired left footed just over the bar.

York went close on 21 minutes when Kieran Green beat Darlington keeper Chris Elliott in the area. He chipped the ball towards Burrow in the six yard box, and somehow when the ball went goalwards Joe Wheatley back headed the ball off the line.

Rivers was then unlucky with an overhead kick inside the box from a Thompson cross, the ball hitting a defender. Holness then headed wide from a deep right wing cross from Hedley.

After a patient crossfield build up involving five players, the ball came to Wheatley 30 yards out, and his low shot was well saved  by Jameson.

But York nearly took the lead when David Ferguson dispossessed Hedley – although there was the semblance of a push – and he crossed low into the middle for Burrow to touch the ball just wide.

Louis Laing got a great block in to stop Macauley Langstaff.

Thompson then laid off Hedley’s crossfield pass for Wheatley to hit first time over the bar as half time approached.

York nearly scored just on half time, when a long clearance by Jameson was helped on for Langstaff to run through one-on-one, but Elliott saved well.

Half time 0-0

Quakers nearly scored straight after the resumption. Thompson split the York defence for Rivers to latch on to the ball, and his low left foot shot beat Jameson, but came back off the post.

Quakers then suffered a blow when Laing went down injured , and had to be replaced by Michael Liddle on 56 minutes, so Watson moved across to centre half.

York took the lead on 58 minutes when the visitors won possession on the halfway line, allowing Langstaff to get up the right and pulled the ball back for Kempster to fire left footed into the bottom right hand corner.

Quakers nearly levelled immediately, when Hatfield made a good run and laid the ball off for Thompson to fire straight at Jameson.

After Donawa came on for Holness, Thompson was fouled out on the left, and Campbell curled an angled free kick inches past the far post.

Quakers had another chance on 82 minutes when Liddle found Thompson, who ran a few yards and struck a low shot that took a deflection, Campbell managed to get on the end of it at full stretch, but he couldn’t keep the ball down and the ball went over the top.

York broke away on 85 minutes through Ferguson, but Elliott blocked his low shot.

The visitors scored their second on 86 minutes, when the corner was cleared by Elliott as far as McLaughlin, who volleyed into the top corner.

It was a result that was pretty harsh on Quakers.

Final score: Darlington 0 York City 2

Darlington: Elliott, Hedley, Watson, Wheatley, Laing (sub Liddle 56), Galbraith, Rivers, Hatfield, Campbell, Thompson, Holness (sub Donawa 68)

Subs:  Bell, Bascome,  Holliday

Booking Hedley, Wheatley

Jameson, Dyer (sub York 83), Ferguson, Newton, Spratt, Tait, Moke, McLaughlin (sub King 86), Burrow, Green (sub Langstaff 25), Kempster

Subs:  McFarlane, Whitley

Booking: Spratt