Darlington Women are still in with a chance of finishing second in their league after a great 5-1 away win at Stockton Town on Thursday evening.

Goals from Chloe Ryan, Krista Williams, Hattie Raine (2) and Sara Ellis gave Quakers the points, and manager Shaun MacKenzie said; “We’re absolutely delighted with those three points, a really good performance that we can take into our final two league games. The girls were up for it tonight having felt like we dropped two points in the return fixture after being 3-1 up.

“I thought the girls were magnificent in terms of discipline and we kept our shape really well and were solid at the back. We let Stockton have more of the ball in the first half and sat in at times and were patient but then we were brilliant on the counter. I thought Grace Dobson had a great night on the left hand side and didn’t stop back and forth.

“Buzzing for Krista to get her first goal and put us in front just before the break. She’s been getting better every week and a fully deserved goal that’s been coming for a while. Great to get it against the club she played for at U18s last season. That goal gave us the lead we needed and I thought we were comfortable in the second half. 

“Hattie’s 3rd gave us the breathing space to see the game out. However, that bit of doubt did start to creep in at 80 minutes, being 3-1 up with 10 minutes to go after what happened last time but fresh legs from the bench ensured we kept going and finished the game off. Two great goals from Sara and Hattie shows that we’ve learnt from the previous fixture and we have the talent and the right mindset to go and finish teams off.”

Here’s the match report from Chris Barrett

It was nearly a disastrous start for Darlington as after only four minutes, Stockton managed to break through getting past the keeper and beating the defender to leave an open goal but the shot was struck wide. Stockton dominated the early exchange maintaining the possession and moving the ball around well. 

It was against the run of play when some neat build up play from Darlington allowed Nicole Graham to break into the box down the right but was dragged back and Darlington were awarded a penalty.  It was Chloe Ryan who stepped up and calmly placed it in the bottom left of the goal to give Darlington the lead and notch her 18th goal of the season. 

Stockton nearly broke back straight away when a ball played through looked offside but not given and the striker got a good shot away but it was well saved by Evie Whitaker with her legs to turn the ball away.

Just before the quarter hour mark, Stockton had a corner which was played into the centre of the box and it bounced up and hit the chest and then the hand of a Darlington player and a penalty was awarded. It was another well despatched penalty which gave the keeper no chance and Stockton were level.

Stockton continued to control more of the ball and had another good opportunity after working the ball through the middle of the pitch and a strong strike from the edge of the box was testing but well stopped and held by Evie Whitaker. Darlington started to settle and get more into the game and were rewarded when Hattie Raine played a ball from the middle deep into the left channel for Grace Dobson to chase down and she had to stop the ball on the byline, beat a player and then drive inside and cut the ball back for the onrushing Krista Williams who took a touch and smartly finished in the bottom left corner to restore the Darlington lead. 

Darlington went into the half time break with a single goal lead and would need to be strong in the second half after conceding leads in previous games and dropping important points. Darlington were again thankful to Whitaker after the ball was bundled through and she had to bravely come out to claim the ball low at the striker’s feet. It was 10 minutes into the second half when Hattie Raine was through one on one with the keeper and she made no mistake as she smashed the ball into the bottom corner to give Darlington a 3-1 lead on the night. 

The game was more open and both sides were making chances and moving the ball well but neither could capitalise and get that 4th goal. It took until the 83rd minute when a free kick from Raine wide left was crossed deep into the box to be met by Sara Ellis who was unmarked and turned the ball with her head in to grab another goal for Darlington and that was more or less game over. 

Darlington continued to work and were rewarded when high pressure from Grace Taylor forced the keeper into a rushed kick and it fell to Raine who was a long distance out but she set herself and struck a beauty of a shot over the reach of the keeper and in for the goal of the game her 23rd goal of the season. 

After a slowish start, Darlington showed that they can grow into games and build throughout. There were a number of strong performances all over the pitch with the back four of Bright, Clennett, L Williams and Carter doing a solid job against a strong Stockton front line who have scored the most goals in the league. Also being supported superbly by Whitaker as the last line of defence who was always in the correct starting position. Player of the match was awarded to Sara Ellis for her a battling performance in the middle of the park and a goal to top the night off.

Darlington have no game this weekend, their next and penultimate game of the season is away to Horden CW Women on Sunday 13th April.