5-0 away win at Shildon Railway
This was a very professional performance from the U23s in what was a bad-tempered encounter against a physical Shildon side.
Shildon started brightly, but the game changed when Jack Mortimer was brought down inside the penalty area. Mortimer stepped up and calmly sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to put Darlington ahead.
Shortly afterwards, Shildon’s centre-forward was shown a red card for kicking out at U23s centre-back Sam Booth, leaving the home side with ten men.
Mortimer then doubled Darlington’s advantage with a smart finish at the back post. The remainder of the first half was largely controlled by the U23s, who kept possession and managed the game well.
Half-time: Shildon 0–2 Darlington U23s.
Shildon came flying out of the blocks at the start of the second half, despite being down to ten men, but the U23s eventually took control again, moving the ball around well and creating numerous opportunities.
Shildon then had another man sent off for dissent which then helped the U23s keep possession and create further chances.
Mortimer added two further goals to complete an outstanding four-goal performance, before substitute Oakley Johnson rounded off the scoring with a tap-in to secure an excellent 5–0 away victory.
Manager John Walters commented: “Shildon are a very physical side, and the lads had to stand up to that challenge and show aggression both in and out of possession.
“The first sending-off obviously changed the game, but from that point onwards we managed things very professionally. I thought it was an excellent performance from the whole squad.
“To come away from home, score five goals and keep a clean sheet is a fantastic result. We were clinical in front of goal today and I’m really pleased with the overall performance.”
Man of the Match: Jack Mortimer – Four goals in an outstanding individual display.
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