Darlington Women started the New Year well with an emphatic 6-1 home win over Hebburn on Sunday.

Goals from Grace Dobson, Hattie Raine, Sara Ellis, Aimee Dagnall in the first 35 minutes, and then Raine and Lily Wilkinson in the second half, set up Quakers’ victory and kept them in third place, two points off the pace.

Manager Shaun MacKenzie said; “I am delighted with the three points to start the new year. But not only that, I am very happy with the performance. We played some fantastic football and scored some great team goals. Massive credit must go to the girls who have all applied themselves in training since coming back. We’ve only had one session so to go out there and put in a high level performance like that after four weeks since our last game is all on them. They’ve kept themselves fit over the Christmas period and we fully deserved the 3 points.

"We didn’t give Hebburn a chance to get started and despite the cold temperatures the girls never moaned once and just got on with the most important thing, which was to get a result. Hebburn couldn’t live with us going forward and the first goal was a perfect example of how we want to play football. Quick, direct forward play and a calm fantastic finish from young Grace Dobson on her full debut. I thought everyone was on it and with a few absentees some of them have made a claim for a position in the starting eleven. We have got to keep focus now and go and get another good result next week away at Rutherford.”

Here's the league table

https://fulltime.thefa.com/index.html?selectedSeason=195320741&selectedFixtureGroupAgeGroup=0&selectedDivision=371387182&selectedCompetition=0

Here's the match report:

It took just 11 minutes for Darlington to open the scoring after a great ball from Chloe Ryan from the right hand side found Grace Dobson who took a calm touch and finished emphatically for a goal on her full debut and her second in two games. 

It was just two minutes later and Hattie Raine was on the scoresheet after a great run from Nicole Graham found Hattie who bravely put the ball in the net and then collided into the post. After a few successive  corners, Hattie Raine’s corner finally found a Darlington player and Sara Ellis was there to head home in the bottom corner for 3-0.

Sara Ellis then turned provider with some good footwork before laying off to Aimee Dagnall who hit a lovely strike over the keeper’s head for 4-0 Darlo after 35 minutes. A couple of minutes later, Darlington switched off and Hebburn found themselves through and finished well to pull one back. 

In very cold conditions, Darlington saw the game out well in the second half. They added two more goals in the opening 20 minutes, with Hattie Raine getting another goal after a nice Lily Wilkinson assist and then Wilkinson got on the scoresheet herself after some good play and an assist from Grace Dobson. Darlington then kept the ball and ran down the clock for the last 20 minutes to clinch their first three points of the new year.

Player of the match went to Ava Pearson for a dominant performance at the heart of the defence. Ava was very aggressive in the tackle and gave the Hebburn forwards no time on the ball, as well as bringing the ball out from the back and looking to play forward. 

Many thanks to Hebburn Town Women F.C for the game and best of luck for the rest of the season. 

Thanks to our kit sponsors:

Aimee Dagnall Home:  South Durham Blinds

Ava Pearson Home: OneGym

Chloe Bright          Home:  SR Entertainments

                              Away: Anglo Tech

Chloe Ryan      Home: The Richard Watson Memorial

                              Away The Darl Knight Comics

Chloe Tinkler      Home: Steve Halliday

                              Away: Brinkburn Pub

Emily Taylor Home and away: Future Heat Group

Emma Carter Home Direct Flooring

                              Away: John Zissler Driving School

Evie Whittaker Home Steve Halliday

Grace Taylor Home and away: Lee McNamara

Hattie Raine Home : CNA Electronics

Katie Bragg: Home The White Daisies

                       AwayY2K hair Design

Katie Sheridan Home: Darlington Mind

                              Away; The Darl Knight

Kistra Williams : Home: Hawthorne Holiday Cottages

Leanne Clennett: home and away Stockton Town Rugby Club

Lexie Scott: home and away Dysfunctional Dads

Lily Large Home: The Darl Knight

                  Away; Lineside Fencing

Lily Wilkinson Home and Away; Pink Sundays

Lou Brown Home: Saddington Taylor

Lucy Hart: Home: D and G Trophies

Millie Garnett: Home: Eco Hair Salon

                              Away: Anglo Tech Group

Millie Soderman Home and away; Kia Stockton

Nicole Graham: Home and away: Quality Painting

Sara Ellis: Home; Time Travellers Disco

                  Away: Mark White CBE DL

Shaun MacKenzie : John Vickerman