Stockport County 2 Darlington 0

Thomas 44 mins, 1-0, Keane 66 mins 2-0

Attendance 4807

Quakers were beaten by a goal in each half, but their spirited performance deserved better.

Quakers were quite positive in the first half and caused Stockport some problems with their pace, but the home side scored from a setpiece just before half time, then Luke Trotman was shown his second yellow.

Stockport scored their second while Quakers re-organised, but then the home side had a nervous finish as Quakers created some good chances.

Quakers weren’t really troubled in the opening exchanges, there was a low cross by Cowan that went across the face of goal, while Harvey Saunders tried to get away at the other end, but was stopped by Stott.

Simon Ainge then put in a good sliding challenge to stop Warburton inside the area.

Quakers had their first opening on 9 minutes when debutant full back Ben Jackson moved up and hit a left foot shot from 25 yards that was blocked on the edge of the area.

And they nearly scored on 13 minutes when Kneeshaw cut in from the left on to his right foot and struck a low shot that Hinchliffe saved well.

Stockport though nearly took the lead on 23 minutes when Cowan picked the ball up on the right, got into the box, and put in a low cross that Warburton sidefooted towards goal, but Turner saved well.

After that though, Quakers worked really hard to close Stockport down, and looked good with their pace when they broke.

However, Stockport took the lead on 44 minutes, when Duxbury curled a free kick over from the left that was nodded down at the far post for Thomas to sweep home.

Half time 1-0

Quakers were reduced to ten men on 48 minutes when Trotman was adjudged to have pulled back an opponent, and the ref showed him a second yellow – he had been booked for timewasting in the first half. 

Tommy's response was to withdraw Kneeshaw for Osagi Bascome, and put Tom Elliott at right back.

Stockport had a chance of a second, a corner was swung over by Duxbury for Stott to head over.

Quakers went 2-0 down on 66 minutes. Duxbury curled a corner over from the right for Jordan Keane to glance home.

Quakers' second reshuffle worked. Bascome was withdrawn for Henshall, Elliott went into midfield and they went with three at the back.

Quakers nearly pulled one back when the Stockport defence misjudged a long ball, letting Saunders in, but Hinchliffe blocked, then Thompson drove a free kick from 25 yards straight at the keeper.

Elliott also dribbled through, but the keeper saved at his feet, then Hinchliffe backpedalled and saved Thompson’s chip

Final score 2-0

Darlington:

Turner, Trotman, Jackson, T Elliott, Ainge, Galbraith, Nicholson, Palmer, Saunders (sub K Elliott 90+2), Kneeshaw (sub Bascome 50, sub Henshall 72)), Thompson

Subs: Maddison, Burn

Booking: Trotman, Ainge

Sending off: Trotman

Stockport:

Hinchliffe, Cowan, Duxbury, Keane, Palmer, Stott, Thomas (sub Stephenson 84), Turnbull, Bell (sub Gilchrist 54), Warburton (sub Minihan 75), Osborne

Subs:  Ormson, Walker

Referee: R Aspinall