Darlington Women reached double figures as they continued their excellent start to the season in the Durham County FA Women’s League.

They hit ten without reply against Horden, with Chloe Ryan 3, Hattie Raine 2, Lucy Charlton 2, Aimee Dagnall, Sara Waites and Katie Sheridan all on target.

Manager Shaun MacKenzie said; “I am very happy with the result; we showed great togetherness and what a way to bounce back from our first league defeat at Chester. Every single one of the girls was on it today. I could mention them all. A real team performance, six different goalscorers and a clean sheet, you couldn’t really ask for a better reaction. Not just the first 11 who started the game but the 7 subs that came on all made a difference and allowed us to keep the intensity from start to finish.’

“I’m delighted for Lucy Charlton to get another two goals to her name today, she’s been brilliant since she came in and we know what she’s capable of as she shows it in training every week. We’ve been building up her match sharpness and she’s been patient and waited for her chance and she certainly took it today. Chloe Ryan was magnificent today as well and with three goals and three assists, she fully deserved the player of the match. We know the quality Chloe has and that gives her ten goals for the season in all competitions’

“I must also give some credit to the defence, I thought the starting centre back partnership of Tinks and Lace were solid and Lou Brown and Millie Garnett coming in second half were just as good. It was a good feeling to be able to give our skipper Lou some minutes after nine months out and she got half an hour under her belt as she regains her match sharpness. Evie Whitaker was fantastic in goal as well and we heard her loud and clear today, we sometimes forget she’s only 17 and still learning, she’s smashing it.”

Here's the match report from Chris Barrett.

After having a week off, Darlington were in no mood to hang around and were ahead after 2 minutes with a high ball from Dagnall into the danger area for Hattie Raine to make a nuisance of herself and the ball was not dealt with and she stole in to prod the ball home for the lead after taking it round the keeper. 

After 8 minutes, Darlington doubled their lead when Chloe Ryan received the ball on the left and fed a low ball into the left-hand side of the box for Lucy Charlton to meet, she composed herself before slipping the ball between the keeper’s legs for 2-0.

Horden managed to settle and had a good period in which a deep free kick had to be smartly claimed by Evie Whitaker and a break down the left allowed space for the attacker to get a run at goal and it took a smart late tackle from Lacey Baldwin to clear the ball away from danger.

On the half hour mark it was three for Darlington with Ryan showing strength on the left and again playing the ball into Charlton who received the ball in the centre and spun the defender and managed to poke the ball past the onrushing goalkeeper.

Darlington continued to push looking for more but couldn’t break through and went in at the half ahead by three.

The second half Darlington continued to keeper’s dominate and on the 51st minute there was some good build up play with Sara Waites picking the ball up in the middle of play, after a great passing sequence from the back, followed by a beautiful defence splitting pass into Ryan who slipped the ball under the keeper for a great team goal.

Five minutes later Darlington were awarded a penalty when there was a push in the back in the box from a Darlington throw in. Chloe Ryan stepped up and calmly slotted the ball into the net.

On the hour mark, Darlington scored another when a Hattie Raine corner came back out and at the 2nd chance, it was played deep to the back post for Aimee Dagnall to turn the ball home for 6.

Three minutes later it was a Raine corner from the left side and it was magnificently met by Waites who volleyed it back across with her left foot, through the crowd and in.

On the 67th minute it was eight when perseverance from Dagnall allowed her to prod the ball through to Ryan who used her strength in the box to work the space and then to lift the ball over the keeper for her hat-trick in the number 14 shirt. 

Goal number nine came when a Chloe Ryan shot from the left was too hot to handle and it was pushed out into the centre of the goal where Raine was lurking and ready to pounce and she smashed it into the net to notch her second and 9th goal of the season in all comps.  The tenth and final goal came from a combination of the substitutes with Chloe Bright using her pace to out run her full back down the right-hand side allowing her to pull the ball back across goal where Katie Sheridan was running into the box and she made no mistake in turning the ball into the net.

It was a really strong performance from Darlington who will have made other teams aware of their scoring capabilities and they will need to maintain consistency if they are wanting to challenge for the promotion spot.

Player of the match was awarded to Chloe Ryan (sponsored by SignLead) for a fantastic hat trick but also providing some delightful balls in for others and claiming a hat-trick of assists too.

We'd like to thank the following kit sponsors:

Evie Whittaker: 

Home: Steve Halliday

Away: Vacant 

Emma Carter:

Home: Direct Flooring 

Away: Vacant

Sophie McNally:

Home: Vacant  

Away: Vacant

Lou Brown:

Home: Saddington Taylor LTD

Away: vacant

Millie Garnett:

Home: Eco Hair Salon

Away: Phil's Fine Finishes

Lily Large:

Home: The Unknown Creative

Away: Lineside Fencing

Millie Soderman: 

Home: Corporate Personal Well Being 

Away: Kia

Chloe Tinkler: 

Home: Steve Halliday

Away: Brinkburn Pub

Chloe Bright: 

Home: Jordan Hanratty Personal Training 

Away: SR Entertainments 

Toni Upton

Home: Dawn Fire Safety 

Away: Dawn Fire Safety  

Emily Taylor 

Home: Northern Renewables 

Away: Northern Renewables 

Aimee Dagnall 

Home: Durham Blinds

Away: Andrew Scullion

Hattie Raine: 

Home: CNA Electronics

Away: CNA Electronics 

Katie Sheridan: 

Home: Darl Knight

Away: Vacant 

Lacey Baldwin: 

Home: Lineside Fencing NE Ltd 

Away: Vacant 

Chloe Ryan: 

Home: Sign Lead

Away: vacant

Sara Waites: 

Home: Teesside University 

Away: Teesside University  

Nicole Graham

Home: Stuart Shanks Painting and Decorating

Away: Stuart Shanks Painting and Decorating

Leanne Clennett:

Home: Stockton Town Rugby Club

Away: Stockton Town Rugby Club 

Lucy Hart:

Home: Top Spec Boots

Away: D&G Trophies 

Lily Wilkinson:

Home: The Tuns at Sadberge 

Away: The Tuns at Sadberge 

Management team:

Shaun Mackenzie training kit: John Vickerman

Stu Burkin training kit:Vacant 

Dan Lupu training kit: Vacant

Chris Barrett training kit: Vacant