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Match Report

Darlington  v  Kettering Town

Vanarama National League North

Saturday 10th August 2019   3:00pm

Referee: Andy Sykes  Assistants: Christopher Joyce and Matthew East 

With Sam Cartwright suspended and Javan Vidal missing following his head injury at King's Lynn. Nicky Eaden, mindful no doubt of his team's performance on Tuesday had to reform his back four.  Luke Graham was a direct replacement for Cartwright and Marcus Kelly made his first start of the season at left-back with James Brighton reverting to the bench. Gary Stohrer filled the vacant right-back position. Experience was favoured over youth up front with Brett Solkhon pulling on the number 10 shirt with Joel Carta on the bench.  Ben Milnes and Joe Massaro completed the sub's bench.

Under overcast skies, threatening rain the teams swapped ends before kicking-off with Darlington in white and black kicking -off into a stiffish breeze with a large noisy home support at their backs with Kettering in their blue and white striped away kit. 

Darlington attacked from the off but an assured Luke Graham easily foiled the first attack and it was Kettering who had the first shot at goal when Aaron O'Connor dispossessed Rivers deep in Darlington's half. In attempting to regain the ball he fouled the Kettering player. Dan Nti took the resulting free kick from about 30 yards out but put his shot wide. 

Darlington's first effort at goal was nearly rewarded with a goal. A free kick conceded on Kettering's left was floated over by Liddle towards the far post where Terry Galbraith's header first hit the post and was then palmed away by Paul White before being hacked clear by a defender. For the first ten minutes it was all Darlington pressure with Kettering getting a brief respite when two Darlington players collided when challenging Richens for the ball. This needed the skill's of Darlington's physio to be called upon. On the quarter hour a long cross-field ball from the left picked out Campbell who fed the ball inside to Stephen Thompson who fired in a curling shot aimed towards the top corner of the net. It was slightly too high and White who was watching it all the way having covered was untroubled. Two minutes later and break down the opposite wing was followed by a low cross  into the box picking out Jarrett Rivers. The forward pivoted on the spot, throwing off his marker, but his snap shot went wide of the post. Another two minutes and Darlington had the lead. As with the Telford game Kettering conceded a free-kick in a dangerous spot about 25 yards out in a central position. Once again young Connor Kennedy was the culprit.  Kettering placed a 5 man wall with Rivers and Thompson standing to the left and right of the ball. Rivers from the right ran over the ball and Thompson hit a perfect right footed effort into the top left hand corner of the goal giving Paul White no chance. 1-0 Darlington 18mins.

Kettering responded in a positive manner and the ball was played wide to Nti on Kettering's right wing. He got past the left-back but his low cross into the box evaded any Kettering forward. After another unproductive Darlington corner Kettering almost got back into the game. Following a foul on Nti, Marcus Kelly drifted a free-kick towards the far post where Brett Solkhon rose highest to head the ball goal wards. Elliott dived to his left and managed to get enough on the ball to keep it out. Joe Skarzlunged for the rebound but a defender beat him to it and scrambled the ball away. Kettering came forward again and after good work from AO'C, who was to suffer another afternoon of frustration battling against two towering centre backs with little or no support, fed the ball out to Nti who once again briefly got the better of Watson but the defender recovered in time to cut out the cross sending it behind for Kettering's first corner after 26 minutes. Kelly's delivery was too close to the keeper who made an easy catch. Darlington were not sitting back and looked threatening every time they came forward. 

Just on the half-hour mark Kettering's defence were caught out again when a ball was lifted over the top for Thompson to run onto giving him a 1v1 against White. He fire a low hard shot to the side of White but Paul showed quick reactions to stick out a foot to block the attempt. Nti was winning his personal battle with Watson and scored a moral victory when the defender had to resort to fouling the Kettering man in order to prevent him getting past which for his trouble became the first player to enter Mr Sykes notebook. Dan however quickly followed him into the book with a poorly timed slide tackle on Bascome which made no contact however much the Darlington player was holding his shin.

After 33 minutes Kettering were almost gifted a way back into the game by Louis Laing when he misjudged a long clearance from Kettering's defence as the wind was picking up in strength. Instead of heading in clear it cannoned off the top of his head and looped back towards his own goal. Elliott standing a good ten yards off his line frantically back-peddled toward his goal and was relieved to see the ball pass closely over the bar. 

With ten minutes to go Michael Richens received a lecture from the referee leaving Kettering's captain in no doubt that he was walking a thin line and three minutes later an innocuous looking push in a defender's back deep in Darlington's half led to Richens first caution of the season.

In the final five minutes of the half Darlington were still pressing as a swift flowing move carved open Kettering's defence like a hot knife through butter. A ball from Campbell tee'd up Rivers perfectly but he spurned the chance to double Darlington's advantage and dragged his shot wide. Two minutes later Campbell decides to do the job himself but his fierce shot was well held by White at his near post. Three added minutes brought no more goalmouth activity

Half Time:  Darlington  1 Kettering Town  0

Kettering made one change at half-time with Elliott Hodge making his league debut for the club replacing the out of favour with the referee Richens.  Kettering were having difficulty containing Darlington with eleven players and if Kettering were to be reduced to ten the task would become impossible. Brett Solkhon assumed the captaincy duties. 

Whatever Nicky Eaden said to his players at half-time it is certain that it did not mitigate for the first 60 seconds of the second half. Kettering kicking-off quickly lost possession and a long cross field ball was played over Stohrer's head to the unmarked left-winger who fired in a low ball towards the near post where Rivers flicked the ball, from no more than two yards out, through White's legs to score. 2-0 Darlington 46 mins.

Kettering tried to respond and three minutes later from another free kick won by Nti Kelly curled a free kick into the box. Holding up in the wind it was partially cleared but picked up by Hodge on the far side and crossed back into the centre where Luke Graham nodded it forward to AO'C whose header looped over the bar. Darlington were looking to kill the game and the dangerous Rivers made a penetrating run straight through the middle of Kettering's defence. His stinging shot could only be parried by White but Graham was on hand to clear the ball. On the hour mark Nti probed down the wing and his cross was headed behind for an unproductive corner but apart from that it was mostly one way traffic. Two minutes later Kettering were opened up on their right hand side again and the ball into the middle was hit first time by Campbell but his dipping shot just cleared the bar.

With twenty minutes to go Darlington made their first substitution with Bermudian international Justin Donowa replacing O'Neill. Darlington were comfortably controlling the game at this stage with Kettering restricted to a few counter attacks. With just under twenty minutes to go Kelly overlapped Hodge on the left and got to the by-line. He lifted the ball into the middle where Solkhon stretched high to get to the ball but he could not get enough on the ball to send it goal wards and it skidded of his head and across the face of the goal.

Just after that Darlington made their second substitution. AO'C would have been pleased to see the tall 6ft 3” Galbraith leaving the field only to be replaced by the even taller Josh Heaton. 

With fifteen minutes to go Darlington sealed their victory when a penetrating run into the box by Hatfield was halted by a trip by Skarz. A stonewall penalty and caution for the defender. Up stepped Thompson, White dived to his right as the striker blasted it left of centre 3-0 Darlington 75 mins.

Darlington were now rampant and looking to boost their goal difference Paul White was not in the mood to lie down and prevented further damage with two good stops in quick succession from Donowa and Hatfield followed shortly after by keeping out a long range effort by Donowa.

With less than ten minutes to go Kennedy kept up his 100% record, picking up his third caution of the season with Darlington making their final substitution before the resulting free kick with Omar Holness replacing Hatfield. After the kick was defended Kennedy was replaced by Ben Milnes.

Donowa picked up a stupid booking on 83 minutes when clearly flagged for offside and whistle blown, he continued to lift the ball over White and into the net. Darlington saw the game out successfully and showed the gulf in class in the three added minutes when they strung three passes together with on each occasion the closest defender being at least 10 yards away from the receipitant.. 

Kettering almost snatched a consolation goal with the last kick off the game when good work from Hodge on the left saw his cross into the box lifted over the bar by a stretching Solkhon from six yards out.

Full Time:  Darlington 3 Kettering Town 0

Kettering's dream start of only seven days ago seems like last season as they were handed their second away day footballing lesson. Darlington posed a different problem to King's Lynn with a forward line of small fast skillful forwards. Discipline has got to be instilled at the back, Giving away free kicks in dangerous positions in this league is suicidal with teams possessing players skillful enough to exploit the opportunity thus presented.  Aaron O'Connor spent a second game battling against the odds and needs support from midfield. With five of the next six games coming up against former football league clubs picking points up at home need to be a necessity if heads and morale in both the squad and supporters is to be maintained. 

Darlington yellow cards:  Watson– foul Donowa – kicking ball away

Kettering Town yellow cards:  Kennedy, Skarz,Nti-fouls, Richens – persistent fouls. 

Attendance: 1344 

Kettering Town Man-of-the-Match – Paul White. For the third game of the season. His performance today prevented an landslide defeat.