Darlington 0 Bradford Park Avenue 1

Hedley 59 mins

Attendance 1491

Darlington were beaten by a second half goal on a day of missed chances.

Quakers had the majority of the game, but couldn't make their chances count, and a frustrating day ended with a penalty miss by Stephen Thompson.

On a day with temperatures approaching 30c , Bradford had a break in the first minute when Lewis Knight got away down the right hand side but was forced wide by Louis Laing, and his pull back was gathered by Chris Elliott.

Quakers put together a couple of promising moves, and Quakers had loud penalty appeals turned down when Adam Campbell picked up the ball inside the area and his attempt on goal clearly hit a defender’s hand, but the referee waved play on.

Jarrett Rivers showed some great skill on 9 minutes when he teased the right back on the edge of the box and crossed towards the far post where Stephen Thompson nodded the ball down, but no Darlington player could get to the ball.

They had a chance from a corner on 13 minutes when Rivers swung the ball into the six yard box for Justin Donawa to head just over.

Thompson then showed an audacious piece of skill when he flicked the ball over a defender twice inside the area, but then volleyed wide of the right hand post.

Quakers were forced into a sub on 31 minutes, when Terry Galbraith went off injured with a hamstring problem and was replaced by Heaton.

They had a chance on 33 minutes. Rivers, again with more trickery on the right, crossed for Thompson to chest the ball down for Campbell to volley over.

Bradford nearly took the lead on 38 minutes when Nelson Dibau headed towards the bottom corner, but Elliott palmed the ball away.

Will Hatfield was unlucky not to score on 40 minutes when he won the ball 35 yards out, charged forward, played a 1-2, and had his effort blocked by keeper Rhys Taylor, and the ball ran loose for Thompson to head just over the top.

Donawa then got on the end of a long ball, and Taylor just managed to put out a hand to block his flick.

Half time 0-0

Quakers slowly got on top in the second half, and Rivers again produced more magic on the right and crossed to the far post where Hatfield’s volley was blocked by a defender.

David Atkinson swung a free kick over from the right for Heaton about ten yards out, to head just over the bar.

After Quakers took off Donawa and replaced him with Tyrone O’Neill, Bradford stunned Quakers and took the lead on 59 minutes when the ball was flicked on for Hedley to run through and slip under the advancing Elliott.

Quakers’ response was a header by O’Neill that was going in the bottom left corner until Taylor pushed it away.

Quakers built up more pressure on the Bradford defence, and again Rivers put in a teasing cross from the right on to the far post where a defender just managed to scramble the ball away for a corner.

Heaton played a great long ball into the box for Campbell to have a shot blocked by Taylor, and from the corner, O’Neill headed wide.

The ball just wouldn’t drop for Quakers, and Campbell had an effort deflected wide, and from the corner, Heaton headed just wide.

Rivers then set up Campbell, whose right foot shot hit the post, and O’Neill couldn’t turn the ball in.

O’Neill then crossed from the left, but Laing couldn’t turn the ball home in from a few yards.

Quakers got the ball into the box in the fifth minute of added time, and Hatfield was pushed to the ground. The ref awarded a penalty, Thompson hit it low to the keeper’s right, but Taylor managed to push the ball away.

Agony!

Final Darlington 0 Bradford PA 1

Darlington: Elliott, Atkinson, Watson, Bascome (sub Holness 71), Laing, Galbraith (sub Heaton 31), Rivers, Hatfield, Campbell, Thompson, Donawa (sub O’Neill 58)

Subs:  Bell, O’Neill,

Booking: Hatfield

Taylor, Lund (sub Chidyausiku 46), Calder, Wood, Moran, Digbau, Docherty (Headley 65), Marriot, Knight (sub Gibbons 74), Hurst, Hedley

Subs: Bennett, Orlando-Young,

Bookings: Hedley, Hurst, Taylor