Darlington Women were held to a 3-3 draw at home by Gateshead Rutherford in the Durham County FA Women's League on Sunday.
They were within five minutes of victory in only their fifth league game of the season when Rutherford equalised to earn them a point, leaving Quakers to rue some missed chances.
Here's the latest league table -- Quakers are fifth with ten points from five games.
https://fulltime.thefa.com/table.html;jsessionid=FD4581C7729D8ACF1F6AF3E8B5EB22AD?selectedSeason=548888333&selectedDivision=371387182&ftsTablePageContent.fixtureAnalysisForm.standingsTableDay=4&ftsTablePageContent.fixtureAnalysisForm.standingsTableMonth=11&ftsTablePageContent.fixtureAnalysisForm.standingsTableYear=2022&activeTab=1
Manager Shaun MacKenzie said; "I feel slightly disappointed with the result and I feel like we could have taken all three points today. That’s no disrespect to Rutherford and they are a good outfit and probably deserved their point as were always in the game. However, we had a lot of chances to go ahead in the game and on another day I feel we could have been a couple ahead in the first half. The forward players know we have got to be more clinical and take our chances when we get them.
"I do feel the girls showed some resilience today faced with a bit of adversity, with Ellen too unwell to play and then losing Chloe and Lily through injury in the game. I was delighted for Chloe Bright to get her goal as she always works hard in training and that’s paid off today, making an impact off the bench. I was also pleased for Liv putting in another good performance after her goal last week, Evie and Lily W both did well on their full league debuts and this shows the strength we have in depth in the squad. It’s a competitive squad and everyone is knocking on the door to start in the first eleven. Everyone will be needed this season and we’ve just got to stay together and keep picking up points."
Here's the match report from Chris Barrett:
On a rainy miserable day, Darlington finally got back to league action facing Gateshead Rutherford at home looking to get points on the board to start climbing up the league after falling behind with a number of postponements and now games in hand.
Darlington wasted no time to start with and were ahead within the first minute or so with Chloe Ryan picking the ball up in the middle and feeding a swift diagonal ball through the defence into the path of Hattie Raine who drove into the box and then smashed it past the keeper to make it 1-0. Only three minutes later Rutherford were level when Darlington failed to clear a corner with the ball bouncing about, it fell to a Rutherford player who seized the opportunity and put it away to make the score 1-1.
It was a good battle in brutal weather with the defences playing a high line but Darlington were unable to beat the offside trap getting caught on numerous occasions.
It was Darlington who got caught out with the ball getting played down the left and there was plenty of space for Rutherford to drive into the box and again smash it into the nearside of the net to take the lead, 1-2.
Darlington did continue to create chances with Katie Sheridan getting forward lunging in to get a shot away which went just wide. Lily Wilkinson also managed to drift in from the left and got a shot on goal which was saved and turned away for a corner.
Just after the half hour mark Darlington were level with the ball again from Ryan to Raine who found the space and this time placed it past the keeper to get the equaliser and her second of the game. There was another chance for Raine just before half time with a magnificent ball played through by Lou Brown into Raine but this time the ball was put just wide. Chances from headers from Ryan and Wearmouth also went over the bar and they couldn’t find that third goal.
The second half started with Darlington continuing to press forward with Nicole Graham managing to break the lines with a run down the left but the shot was too close
to the keeper and saved. Darlington were then saved by Brown when the ball was put into the box and it wasn't dealt with and it required a goal saving hook from Brown near the line to keep it level.
A nasty injury to Lily Large meant a stop in play after 55 minutes which meant she had to come off after blocking the ball and trying to get the team out.
Just after the game restarted and on around the hour mark, Rutherford were awarded a penalty when a rash tackle took out a Rutherford player in the box. Evie Whittaker was in goal on her first competitive start with Ellen Atkinson too unwell to play. Evie dived to her right and saved the ball and managed to get it away to keep Darlington level.
Darlington were still looking strong and on 73 minutes the ball was played on the left to Olivia Whitworth who took it forward and then switched the ball across the pitch just into the run of Chloe Bright who finished clinically past the keeper in the bottom corner to give Darlington the lead.
Darlington faced another challenge when a free kick was awarded on the edge of the box for a handball. The free kick was hit just over the wall but it was Brown again who headed it away to safety on the line.
On 85 minutes, Rutherford got a leveller with the ball again not dealt with and the Rutherford attacker shifting the ball to the right of the box and smashing it in with little Whittaker could do about it.
Looking for the win Darlington continued to push on throwing players forward when possible which left them susceptible to the counter and on one occasion it took a superb slide tackle from Chloe Tinkler to clear away the danger. The game finished even and Darlington will be frustrated that there were so many chances missed in the first half as all points will be crucial in what is expected to be a tight league at the end of the season.
There were some stand out performances from Lou Brown at the back and Evie Whittaker with the crucial penalty save. However, Player of the match went to Olivia Whitworth (sponsored by Terry Farley MBE) for a persistent battling performance and endeavour and getting on the ball to make things happen, with a marvellous assist for the third Darlington goal.
We'd like to thank the following kit sponsors:
Ellen Atkinson:
Home: LW & GM Atkinsons & Son
Away: Harker Coaches
Evie Whittaker:
Home: Steve Halliday
Away: Vacant
Emma Carter:
Home: Direct Flooring
Away: SMS Tech (Smart Manufacturing Solutions Technology)
Alice Wearmouth:
Home: Direct Flooring
Away: SMS Tech (Smart Manufacturing Solutions Technology)
Lou Brown:
Home: Saddington Taylor LTD
Away: vacant
Gabi Paduriaru:
Home: David Stothard
Away: Colin Bromley
Millie Garnett:
Home: Eco Hair Salon
Away: Phil's Fine Finishes
Lily Large:
Home: Arthur Wharton Foundation
Away: Vacant
Chloe Tinkler:
Home: Steve Halliday
Away: Brinkburn Pub
Chloe Bright:
Home: Jordan Hanratty Personal Training
Away: Active Kids Play Scheme
Toni Upton
Home: Dawn Fire Safety
Away: Dawn Fire Safety
Emma Doudican
Home: Winroths Hairdressing
Away: Winroths Hairdressing
Olivia Whitworth
Home: Terry Farley MBE
Away: Vacant
Aimee Dagnall
Home: Andrew Scullion
Away: Vacant
Hattie Raine:
Home: Thomas Watson Auctioneers
Away: Thomas Watson Auctioneers
Katie Sheridan:
Home: Arthur Wharton Foundation
Away: Ingleton Site Management LTD
Lacey Baldwin:
Home: Lineside Fencing NE Ltd
Away: Lineside Fencing NE Ltd
Chloe Ryan:
Home: Arthur Wharton Foundation
Away: The Little Quaker Distillery
Caisey Lee
Home: vacant
Away: vacant
Nicole Graham
Home: Stuart Shanks Painting and Decorating
Away: Stuart Shanks Painting and Decorating
Management team:
Shaun Mackenzie training kit: John Vickerman
Sam Pascoe training kit: NC Group LTD
Dan Lupu training kit: Vacant
Chris Barrett training kit: Vacant
