Harborough 4 Darlington 2 

Kennedy 9 mins, 1-0, Stephenson 34 mins 1-1, McLaughlin 38 mins 1-2, Assombalonga 53 mins 2-2, Jacobs 89 mins 3-2, Powell 90+4 mins, 4-2

Quakers were beaten by two late goals on their first ever visit to Harborough.

After going behind in the first half, they fought back to lead 2-1 at half time.

But with both sides missing good chances, Harborough went on to score three in the second half. At 2-2 with just a few minutes left, it looked as if the game would end in a draw, but Quakers were caught twice on the break.

Quakers had a great chance in the first minute. Tom Henson crossed from the right, Mark Beck laid the ball off, and Amaru Smith sidefooted over the bar from ten yards.

There was another chance when Smith ran at the Harborough defence, had a shot blocked, and Mark Beck, following up, scuffed his left footed effort wide of the right hand post.

Quakers went a goal behind on 9 minutes. Brit Assombalonga had plenty of time to turn and play the ball forward into the path of Connor Kennedy, who smashed the ball into the top right corner with Bobby Jones helpless.

Sam Osborne then tried a right foot shot that went wide, then Jones came off his line well and blocked a shot by Assombalonga.

Quakers got a free kick on the right that Scott Barrow curled into the box, but Beck was crowded out.

Harborough replied with a chip forward by Osborne that Assombalonga brought down well, but he sidefooted straight at Jones from twelve yards out.

Quakers had a penalty shout turned down when Stanton’s effort from the edge of the area was blocked by a defender with Quakers appealing for handball, but the referee waved play on, and in Quakers next attack Thompson found Ben Hedley on the overlap on the right, and his low cross was turned wide by Beck.

There was a great chance on minutes when Ben Hedley crossed well from the left for Dylan Stephenson at the back post, but he couldn’t direct his header on target.

Then Smith made a good run up the left to get into the area, and his right foot shot took a deflection on its way into Elliott Taylor’s hands.

The goal that Quakers were threatening arrived on 35 minutes. Smith again caused problems on the left, and he slipped Hedley into the box, who pulled the ball back for Dylan Stephenson to convert his first goal for the club.

The score was 2-1 to Quakers on 38 minutes. Henson made a good diagonal run and laid the ball back for Paddy McLaughlin, who curled a delightful right foot effort into the top right corner – another special by the midfielder.

Harborough managed to find space on the edge of the area, and Osborne brought Jones to his knees.

Half time 1-2

Harborough made two subs on 53 minutes as they tried to change the momentum of the game, and they succeeded two minutes later. A free kick was headed away by the Darlington defence, but only as far as Assombalonga, who struck a right foot shot across Jones into the net off the underside of the bar.

Quakers then suffered a blow when Scott Barrow went off with a head injury and Toby Lees came on.

Quakers responded when Stephenson broke away cleverly down the left, got into the box, but fired into the side netting.

Then they won a free kick for a foul on Thompson midway inside the Harborough half. Stanton chipped a delightful ball into the box, but nobody could get a touch.

Quakers had battled their way back into the game, and Aidan Rutledge came on for Stephenson on 78 minutes, then Beck had to receive lengthy treatment following a clash of heads.

While Beck was off the field, Harborough sub Paul Malone headed a corner wide.

Quakers made a sub on 84 minutes when Smith went off and Bryant came on.

Rutledge won a free kick on the edge of the area which he took himself, but the wall did its job, and then in Quakers next attack McLaughlin almost found Rutledge, only for a defender to intercept.

Quakers were caught on the break with a minute left. Callum Powell put the ball into the area, the ball wasn’t cleared, and Michael Jacobs tucked the ball away.

And in stoppage time, the same happened again, this time Powell raced clear and scored.

Final score: Harborough 4 Darlington 2

Team: Jones, Thompson, Walker, Barrow (sub Lees 64), Hedley, Stanton, McLaughlin, Henson (sub Hetherington 86), Stephenson, Smith, Beck

Subs: Mason, Wilkinson, Bryant, Rutledge