Our opponents were two divisions above us, as the Millers had clinched the third division championship at the end of the previous season. Darlo manager Billy Elliott brought in Donald Ball for David Hawker, and John Stalker for Tony McFadden from the team that had drawn at Aldershot on the opening day of the season, while Millers’ boss, the former Liverpool player Emlyn Hughes, included John Green in defence who was to sign for Darlington in October 1985. We were a goal down at half time thanks to an own goal from Kevan Smith, and in the second half the two division gap in close told as Rotherham went on to score twice more through Phil Henson and Rodney Fern. We did manage to get one back through Alan Walsh, but it left us with too much to do for the second leg the following week. (We lost the second leg 2-1, Harry Charlton scored our goal)

[caption id="attachment_12134" align="alignnone" width="300"] Alan Walsh[/caption]

Final score: Darlington 1 Rotherham 3.

Darlo team: Cuff, Kamara, McLean, Smith, Skipper, Mitchell, Ball, Speedie, Stalker, Hamilton, Walsh.