Darlington Youth Under 13s Quakers 2 Billingham Synthonia Under 13s 2

Darlington Youth sponsored by Darlington Building Society, The Flintlock Inn & BTS Fabrications, welcomed Billingham Synthonia to their home venue at Eastbourne for today's rearranged match.

Another crucial game for the lads, with the team pushing for promotion to the top tier and a county cup final to look forward too, this game was a must win to keep promotion within their own hands. It was a tightly fought game in the early stages with the home side on the front foot from the off, however shooting chances were few and far between, but it was the visitors who struck first, a similar situation to many goals conceded this campaign, lone striker with pace catches the defence flat footed to sprint clear on goal, Darlington keeper Bradley Morrison, came running out of goal to narrow the angle, however a side foot shot around the Darlington shot stopper, saw the visitors take a 1-0 lead.

Billingham didn't hold onto the lead for too long, Oliver Johnson, playing down the left, picked the ball up in midfield, passes forward to Liam Wynn, who holds his marker off, and then turns him to run clear into the box, with the Billingham keeper approaching him at pace, Wynn confidently lobs the ball over the top of him. 1-1

Game on again, good work in the centre from Tom Horner and Alex Mason, breaks down a number of attacks by the visitors and with Darlington beginning to take control of the game, their hard work pays off with a penalty decision, once again the impressive Johnson, picks up the ball and charges towards the Billingham penalty box, twisting and turning his run is too clever for the visitors central defender who sticks a foot out, penalty!

Liam Wynn lines up the penalty and scores bottom right hand corner, first half ends 2-1.

Into the 2nd half, the lads tried to pick up where they left off in the first half, but the visitors were having none of it, and pushed on with several opportunities of their own to equalise, but good handling by Morrison and some steadfast defending by Jacob Gibson and Kian Slater kept the score in the home side's favour. Tom Hindmarch moved into the midfield 2nd half to provide more bite and forward drive, with Tristan Bowden Bloomfield coming on at left back for the hard working Jack Browning, the game was ebbing away from Darlington as distractions and stoppages disrupted the focus of the lads and with 10 mins to go, Billingham got the equaliser they had been working hard to achieve, a slick pass to big striker, who turns and surges towards the Darlington goal, Joe Hansen kept pace with the hitman, but unfortunately could not stop him getting his shot off, which flew past the Darlington Keeper into the net 2-2.

Both teams were out for a winner, a couple of chances falling to the ever tricky Matty Moody and a Tom Horner, but to no avail, and a close range shot from Johnson hitting the post only to fall into the visiting keeper’s arms, Billingham too had a couple of clear openings, with a close range shot pushed away by Morrison and subsequently smothered and a few shots going wide and over the bar. With the full time whistle blown it was down to other results to determine Darlington's youth's fate.

Scores from the other games have given Darlington another lifeline for promotion, its still in our hands!!!

MoM: Alex Mason