Third friendly win for Quakers

By Ray Simpson

Third friendly win for Quakers

First ever meeting between the sides.

Quakers produced their best friendly performance yet with a comfortable win at Stockton Town.

They showed glimpses against Blyth and Sunderland, but Stockton couldn't deal with their sharper visitors in the first half.

Quakers started the game really well, and Stockton keeper Nathan Harker pulled off three good saves from Jack Maskell, Will Hatfield and Aidan Rutledge.

But Harker had no chance on 14 minutes when Cedric Main picked the ball up just outside the area, and beat him with a low shot into the bottom right hand corner.

Three minutes later it was 2-0 when Main was upended as he ran into the box, and Rutledge sent the keeper the wrong way from the spot.

Quakers were unstoppable at this point, and Rutledge grabbed a third on 27 minutes when he picked the ball up 30 yards out, dribbled past two defenders, and then beat Harker with a low shot.

In the second half, Stockton pulled a goal back through former Darlington player Arjun Purewal, who neatly headed a right wing corner into the net at the near post.

But Quakers responded when Will Hatfield curled a delightful free kick around the wall into the net from the edge of the box.

 

Here's the Quakers' starting line up against Stockton this afternoon, but they are still missing Matty Cornish and Tom Allan, who have slight knocks.

Jameson, Hedley, Lees, Forbes, Josh Scott, Griffiths (sub Myers-Smith 46), Hatfield, McGowan (sub Kirokiro 70), Maskell (sub Ethan Scott), Main (sub Maddison 70), Rutledge (sub Tom Allan 62)

Subs;  Platt, Barrow

 

Stockton include former Darlo players Arjun Purewal, Amar Purewal, Stephen Thompson, Michael Sweet.

Harker, Arj Purewal, Butterworth, King, Nicholson, Coulthard, Sweet, Thompson, Josh Scott, Amar Purewal, Hayes.

Subs: Painter, Gallacher, Birtles, Kennedy, T Smith