Darlington 1-1 Brackley Town 19 August 2023

Brackley left Blackwell Meadows with a deserved point from a game that swung this way and that. Saints enjoyed the better of the first half but could not capitalise going in level at the break. Darlington came out strongly in the second half but could not make their advantage count.

Defender Jassem Sukar was sent off for a straight red card on 74 minutes but the visitors were unable to force a winner leaving honours even with Saints unbeaten in the four opening games and The Quakers collecting a first point.

Danny Newton scored for the third game in succession heading his goal on six minutes from Alfie Bates’ corner kick. Riccardo Calder brought a save from Tommy Taylor and Shep Murombedzi and Cosmas Matwasa shot narrowly wide but it was the home side who found the net with their only threat of the half as Will Hatfield scored direct from a free-kick on 33 minutes.

Danny Lewis pulled off a fingertip at full stretch to save onto the post to keep the scores level and twice Darlington broke quickly only to be foiled by last-ditch defending.

Saints could not make the one-man advantage count despite six minutes of added time and had to settle for a draw.
“I thought we were totally dominant in the first half but was extremely disappointed with their goal that should not have been taken from where it was,” Gavin Cowan said. “We started the second half well but we didn’t really take the safety catch off late on and have that belief to go on to win the game. Overall for the most part I’m pretty happy with the performance. There is more to come as we find that cohesion but overall it’s been another positive day.”

Brackley Town: Lewis, Carline, Calder, Murombedzi, Gudger, Dean, Matwasa, Bates (O’Sullivan 21), Newton, Armson, Crawford (Turner 76). Subs unused: Worby, Lyttle, Lilly.

Darlington: Taylor, Sukar, Platt, Lees, Lawlor, Hazel (Curry 90+4), Moke (Liddle 72), Nelson (Felix 70), Hatfield, Mustoe, Griffiths. Subs unused: Windass, Salkeld.
Referee: Shaun Taylor Assistants: Paul Mosley and Connor Scott
Attendance: 1186

PIC by Steve Halliday