A second half blitz was enough to send Darlington packing on a cold Tuesday night at The Brewery Field as Moors took the honours in the clash of County Durham.
Olly Dyson opened the scoring just before the hour mark as he chipped a shot above Pete Jameson. And Moors grabbed their second just five minutes later as Aidan Rutledge volleyed home an impressive effort.
Both teams had a half chance in the opening 10 minutes as Dyson smashed an effort just wide from the edge of the penalty area, before Darlington’s Jack Maskell almost got in behind, only for Brad James to smother the oncoming ball.
Middlesbrough loanee Nathan Simpson was forced straight into the starting line-up after an injury to Junior Mondal in the warm-up, and the young winger looked keen to make a good first impression as his cross had to be headed out for a corner in the opening stages.
The newly signed man was involved yet again as he burst down the right before playing a ball inside to Dyson. The loanee laid the ball off to Rutledge, who scuffed his effort wide.
Darlington did find the net on the 22nd minute mark as Maskell fired home at the back post, only for the linesman on the far side to lift his flag for offside.
The Quakers looked to build on that chance as they began to come forward with real intent, as defender Ben Hedley tried his luck from the edge of the area, only to see his shot soar just over.
Matty Cornish gave James a real test in the Moors net as his curling strike looked destined for the top corner. However, James was there to brilliantly deny the midfielder, producing a strong diving save to his right.
The away outfit continued their advances as Moors looked to ride out their pressure. It was Will Flint who troubled James this time, his in-swinging corner landing straight on the Moors number 1, who did well to push the ball over the crossbar.
Half chances arose for both sides as Moors attempted to level the game out, Toby Lees saw his header rise well above the crossbar, before Rutledge’s header experienced a similar fate at the other end.
It must be said that Darlington ended the first half the strongest, as Scott Barrow almost found the breakthrough right on half time. The full-back unleashed a venomous effort goalward, kissing the crossbar as it flew just over Moors net.
Graeme Lee’s men started off promisingly in the second half, with versatile winger Corey McKeown producing a brilliant run down the left. His cross into the centre of the six-yard box, however, couldn’t pick out any of his teammates.
Brad James was called into action again early in the second half as he was forced into prodding away a low effort from close range, courtesy of Maskell’s right foot.
The second 45 had opened in an even manor compared to the first. Both Moors and Darlington saw half chances come and go, first through Dyson as his first time effort was held low by Jameson, whereas Hedley saw his strike from the edge of the penalty area float wide of the mark.
Out of almost nothing, Moors found their way in front. Some strong work to wrestle the ball back on the edge of the box from Olly Dyson saw him break into the area before dispatching a dinked effort over Jameson, nestling in the back of the net and sending the Moors faithful into raptures.
The Quakers were left shaking in their boots and clambering to grab an equaliser, but it was Moors who hit the ground running after the restart and managed to find a second within five minutes of Dyson’s heroics.
Some good play down the left saw the ball set back for Matty Dolan. The experienced midfielder smashed a first time cross into the area, finding Aidan Rutledge’s right foot mid-air as the front man thundered home an unbelievable volley into the bottom corner, stunning the 433 travelling supporters into silence.
Tricky frontman, Cedric Main, almost found a response just two minutes later, but was denied by James, who had been having a great evening in the Moors net.
Substitute Sam Hetherington tried his luck on goal, but yet again James was there to deny Darlington of a lifeline.
Another substitute, this time a Moors man in the form of James Huntley, looked to announce his arrival onto The Brewery Field turf as he bared down on Jameson’s goal. The youngster did well to shrug off challenges but was ultimately defeated by a decent block on the edge of the area.
Fin Shrimpton looked to get himself on the scoresheet through an ambitious effort from far out, but his shot came to no avail, flying over the bar and out of the stadium.
Frustration signs for Darlington began to show as Caden Kelly let fly from 30 yards, only for his strike to be routinely smothered by James as time ran out for Steve Watson’s men.
Chance after chance went begging for the away side as James denied both Kelly and substitute Andrew Nelson.
With the game looking safely in Moors hands, a lapse in judgement from the backline managed to give The Quakers a consolation deep into stoppage time, as a Moors man bundled Hazeem Bakre down in the box.
Caden Kelly stepped up to take the spot kick, tucking home past Brad James who had dived the wrong way.
It was a nervy conclusion to what was a strong performance from Moors, who managed to clinch all three points despite their recent pile up of injuries.
Graeme Lee will now look to Saturday, as Moors take on The Turbines of Peterborough Sports at The Brewery Field.
Full Time: Moors 2 Darlington 1
Moors: James, Ledger (Huntley 64) , Beals (Pollock 46), Rowe, Staunton, Shrimpton, Dolan, Simpson (Myers 70), Dyson, McKeown, Rutledge.
Subs not used: Luck, Johnson
Booked: Myers (86).
Darlington: Jameson, Hedley, Forbes, Lees, Barrow, Hatfield (Hetherington 62), Flint (Nelson 86), Maskell, Cornish (Bakre 70), Kelly, Main
Subs not used: Rivers, Stirland.
Booked: Forbes (33)
Referee: Lewis Dawson
Attendance: 2,088 (433 Darlington)
Written by Noah Betts
