Darlington Women were unlucky to lose 3-0 in their top of the table clash against Hartlepool Pools Youth on Sunday afternoon.

Quakers' finishing let them down as they missed several good chances in the game.

Manager Shaun MacKenzie said; "We started brightly and played some decent football, but we conceded the first goal just before half time, and a second a few minutes later.

"The second half our players showed loads of desire to get back into the game, but we couldn't score. We didn't have the cutting edge.

"We must keep going and try and win our last three matches."

Quakers are next at home to Gateshead on Sunday 8th May.

Here's the match report from Chris Barrett

Darlington started with a good intensity, battling early in the middle of the park to dominate the play but found it difficult to create enough gaps for some flowing play. With both teams relying on breaks on the counter to try and fashion chances.

The first significant effort came after 9 minutes for Pools who had a corner but this was punched away by Martina Cuccunato and cleared out.

Darlington tried to utilise their pace on the wings through Chloe Bright and Emma Carter but it was a long range strike from Katie Sheridan that was Darlington's first significant attempt at goal.

After 16 minutes, Hartlepool came close when the ball wasn’t cleared down the left and it was picked up by the Pools striker who from just inside the box struck high and it just bounced of the centre of the cross bar.

Darlington got a better chance after 25 minutes from a deep free kick taken by Chloe Tinkler which was played up to Katie Sheridan who took it down well and laid it off to Hattie Raine who fired it across the box for Emma Doudican to try and finish but it was blocked by the defender on the line with the rebound being put over by Carter.

After 37 minutes Darlington were 1-0 down when a free kick from the right was put into the box and an unchallenged header in the centre of the box went back across goal to land in the bottom corner.

It was only 4 minutes later and Darlington were 2-0 down when a defensive mix up again on the Pools left allowed the striker to get free in the box to smash it high from close range into the top of the net giving Darlington a mountain to climb in the second half.

Darlington did start the second half well with a ball from Doudican to Raine allowing her to have a driving run into the box but Raine got closed out and shot right of the goal, off target.  Not long after, Pools hit the bar again after breaking down the middle and getting some space but the striker could only lift the ball over the keeper onto the top of the bar.

Darlington continued to press but were restricted to difficult chances including a long range shot from Sheridan and a swivel shot on the edge of the box from Raine. Darlington came very close to getting one back when a brilliant ball was played down the right from Elisha Wright who freed Raine to strike from distance which flew over the keeper but it pinged back out off the post.

Darlington continued to press but it was to no avail and with full time looming, Pools won a penalty with a kick to the back of the leg of the Pools striker, giving the referee little option. The subsequent penalty was dispatched low near the middle of the goal to give Pools a 3-0 win.

Darlington showed more intensity this week and more desire but came up against a team with obvious quality who will likely go on to take the league title. Darlington have three games remaining and will need maximum points for any slim chance of promotion.

Today's player of the match match was awarded to Lacey Baldwin for a tireless display in the centre of the park, making a number of key interventions to break up play and a fantastic work ethic.

STARTING XI

1: Cuccunato,

11: Bright, 

19: Large, 

14: Tinkler 

5: Wearmouth, 

3: Carter, 

7: Baldwin 

10: Upton (c), 

20: Sheridan,

8: Doudican, 

9: Raine,

Substitutes: Whittaker, Garnett, Paduriaru & Wright 

Here's the league table as it stands:

https://fulltime.thefa.com/table.html?league=901345664&selectedSeason=85293540&selectedDivision=371387182&selectedCompetition=0&selectedFixtureGroupKey=1_97264698

We'd like to thank our kit sponsors:

Hattie Raine (sponsored by Krystal Sells), Emma Carter (The Cheese and Wine Shop), Emma Doudican (Winroths Hairdressers), Sarah Frew (Chic Beauty Academy), Martina Cuccunato (Premier 1 Filtration), Caisey Lee (Engage to Learn), Olivia Whitworth (Terry Farley MBE), Natalie Peart (RA Dalton Ltd), Toni Upton (Dawn Fire Safety), Alice Wearmouth (Direct Flooring), Chloe Bright (Jordan Hanratty Personal Training),  Chloe Tinkler (Glen and Mary Bowes), Millie Garnett (eco Hair Salon), Aimee Dagnall (Andrew Scullion), Gabrielle Padurianu (John Vickerman), Lily Large (Arthur Wharton Foundation), Katie Sheridan (Arthur Wharton Foundation)