Under 23s held to last gasp draw
By Ray Simpson
Denied right at the end
Darlington under 23s 3 Coxhoe Athletic 3
Our under 23s were within seconds of a comeback win against Coxhoe Athletic on Saturday.
They led 3-2 going into stoppage time, but Coxhoe scored with almost the last kick of the game.
The Quakers got off to a flying start when captain Steven Dawson fired home in just the 4th minute. Coxhoe grew into the game and levelled shortly before half-time, sending the teams in 1–1 at the break.
The visitors went ahead midway through the second half to make it 2–1, but Darlington never gave up and mounted a spirited late fightback. Substitute Archie Small produced a stunning strike in the 88th minute, a goal described as one of the best of the season, to draw the Quakers level at 2–2.
Just moments later, Jack Mortimer completed the turnaround with a composed finish in stoppage time to put Darlington 3–2 ahead and send the home support into celebration mode. Unfortunately, Coxhoe struck deep into injury time to make it 3–3, denying Darlington a famous comeback win.
Despite the late equaliser, there were plenty of positives to take — including the team’s resilience, the impact of the substitutes, and a solid all-round display.
Man of the Match:
Sam Booth – outstanding at the back, calm under pressure and a real leader throughout the game.
