Darlington Under 23s were narrowly beaten 3-2 at Middlestone Moor in the Wearside League on Saturday

A competitive encounter on a muddy, sticky pitch saw Middlestone Moor edge out Darlo U23’s in a tight contest.

The difficult conditions made flowing football hard to come by, with Middlestone Moor proving to be the more physical side throughout. However, the U23’s matched them with energy and work rate, battling hard all over the pitch and staying in the game until the final whistle.

Unfortunately, sloppy goals conceded at key moments proved costly for Darlo. Despite that, there were positives to take — particularly in the team’s resilience and attacking intent.

Jack Mortimer grabbed both goals for Darlo to keep his side firmly in the contest, but the standout performer on the day was Keean Gillan, whose work rate, composure and overall influence on the game set the standard for the team. Tye Barton also featured as he continues to gain valuable game time with the U23’s setup.

Manager John Walters said; “There were lots of positives to take out of the game. We just need to defend better in certain situations. It was a narrow defeat, but plenty to build on moving forward.”