Source: Northern_Echo
Aycliffe attract 1,307 fans for friendly with Quakers
Newton Aycliffe 1 Darlington 2[LNB] DARLINGTON needed a lastminute goal from Paul Grainger which gave them a narrow win at Newton Aycliffe in front of a bumper crowd last night.[LNB] Quakers featured senior players Tommy Wright, Chris Senior and Chris Moore in an otherwise youthful XI, while manager Mark Cooper officially opened the Northern League club's new stand at a packed Moor Lane Park.[LNB] The attendance of 1,307 was more than double that club officials hoped to attract and the huge numbers saw kickoff delayed by ten minutes.[LNB] When the action did get under way it was Aycliffe who scored first, Elliot Gardner impressively lobbing Quakers keeper Nick Thompson from almost 30 yards on 33 minutes.[LNB] By that stage the visitors had come close to goal on three occcasions.[LNB] Two Wright headers were saved by keeper Scott Pocklington, who is a former Darlington trainee, while Moore ran with the ball from the halfway line but was denied by Pocklington. Before halftime Wright had another effort, this time seeing a looping header hit the crossbar.[LNB] Both of Darlington's goals came after the break with teenager Curtis Main scoring the first. It came 18 minutes from time after latching on to a Lee Collings pass and firing past Pocklington and in the dying seconds left-winger Grainger hooked a volley into the bottom corner.[LNB] Nevertheless, despite being unable to hang to a draw, the evening was considered a huge success for Newton Aycliffe who are preparing for their second season in the Northern League.[LNB] Newton Aycliffe (4-4-2): Pocklington, Mitton, Davies, Stout, Oliver, Tarling, Broom, Raitt, Byrne, Gardner, Owen. Subs: Richardson (gk), Robinson, Woodhouse, Petch, Knox, McMullen, Hall, Campbell, Heckley Shepherd, Mellanby Darlington (4-4-2): Thompson; Barnes, Hutchinson, Burn, P Gray; Moore, Main, Hopson, J Gray (Grainger 45); Wright (Baxter 45), Senior (Collings 45). Subs (not used): Bartram (gk), Ramshaw Attendance: 1,307[LNB]
