Source: Northern_Echo
Darlington 1 Newport County 0
Darlington 1 Newport County 0[LNB] NOBODY said it was going to be easy and so it proved as Darlington began non-league life with a win that they were forced to grind out.[LNB] Under pressure for much of the second half at home to Newport County, Mark Cooper's side began their Blue Square Bet Premier campaign by displaying enough defensive resolve to collect three points.[LNB] Liam Hatch's early goal put Quakers ahead during a comfortable first half. That they stayed there, however, was due to a string of Sam Russell saves and a winning mentality both are new additions to the club.[LNB] Hatch was one of seven new players in the starting line-up, and among them are individuals that Cooper has recruited who have strength of mind and a stubborn determination to succeed.[LNB] Such character was sadly lacking last term.[LNB] Much has changed since then, not least the personnel with Russell among the 13 signings and the goalkeeper wasted little time in reminding supporters of his ability with a string of top-class saves.[LNB] Cooper was reluctant to lavish praise on individuals, preferring to accentuate the team ethic and their mentality.[LNB] You have to have the right kinds of character in your squad, a bit of experience, to deal with games like this one,[LNB] said the manager.[LNB] When things are going against you, your experienced players come to the fore.[LNB] You got a glimpse of what Conference football is all about. You've got to defend well and I think you could see that we've done a lot of work defensively.[LNB] It was a good team display.[LNB] They worked their socks off, they had to throw their bodies on the line at the end and if we are going to be successful it will be all about the team and not individuals.[LNB] I'm just disappointed we weren't a bit better going forward.[LNB] But it was a 1-0 win and a clean sheet. We'll take the positives out of it and try to do better on Tuesday.[LNB] That is at Altrincham where Cooper would be satisfied with another battling one-goal win, though the manner of Darlington's start on Saturday suggested they were in for a higher margin of victory.[LNB] Hatch's fourth minute header found the top corner of the net after meeting Paul Arnison's looping and long free-kick and it came at the beginning of a half in which Quakers were on top.[LNB] Chris Senior, who started behind the front pairing of Hatch and Richard Offiong, lashed the ball over the bar and then Offiong's shot was narrowly wide from the corner of the penalty area after a fine piece of skill by Hatch.[LNB] Hatch also headed off target from another Arnison cross, whereas at the other end Russell was a virtual spectator.[LNB] Hatch said: With it being my first game I wanted an early touch of the ball, just to get my head right, just to get me into the game. But I didn't see the ball very much in the first half.[LNB] It was very different after the break, however.[LNB] Perhaps Newport had suffered from stage fright during the first half, but the side who lost only three league games last season came good in the second 45 minutes.[LNB] On the hour Charlie Henry had the first of three shots in five minutes, the first bringing Russell's best save of the day, a one-handed stop at close-range to deny the Newport dangerman.[LNB] Russell then tipped Jamie Collins' backwards header on to the top of the bar and from the resulting corner the keeper stopped a Gary Warren shot from inside the six-yard box with his legs.[LNB] Quakers' Tommy Wright could have relieved the pressure soon after rising from the bench, but the striker scuffed an effort wide with only the keeper to beat.[LNB] As the pressure continued, the visiting fans, around 400 of them, chanted that their team was going to score in a minute and it appeared that way as Darlington hung on.[LNB] Just as Russell saw little of the ball before the break, visiting keeper Glyn Thompson was similarly under-employed in the second half.[LNB] But Darlington managed to navigate their way to full-time with their lead intact and, although he may not have been fulsome in his appraisal, Cooper was pleased to start with a win.[LNB] He said: I wasn't bothered so much about how we played, I was more bothered about getting three points. I'm not going to pick over the bones too much, we're off and running now after a good, solid display.[LNB] Newport probably feel they deserved something but that's football.[LNB] It was massively important to get off the mark, no matter how we did it, no matter what it took to get three points. We've done it and and now we're up and running.[LNB] Matchfacts Goal:[LNB] 1-0: Hatch (4, headed in Arnison's free-kick into the corner of the net) Bookings: Austin (51, foul); Odhiambo (55, foul); Wright (75, foul)[LNB] Referee: Scott Duncan (Newcastle) - Waved away penalty appeals from both sides in a lenient 90 minutes 7[LNB] Attendance: 2,597[LNB] Entertainment: [LNB] DARLINGTON (4-3-1-2):[LNB] 8 RUSSELL: Cooper wasn't happy with his kicking but he made a series of fine saves;[LNB] 7 Arnison: Newport's lack of left-wing threat allowed him freedom to get forward before the break[LNB] 6 Hone: Made several important interceptions on his home debut[LNB] 7 Miller: The captain looked calm and assured, standing up to Newport target man Matthews[LNB] 7 Austin: Some crucial headers in the closing stages capped a solid display;[LNB] 7 Terry: Always available to receive the ball and displayed some nice firsttime passes[LNB] 6 Chandler: No change from last season. Busy as ever, tackling and pressuring opponents[LNB] 6 G Smith: Not heavily involved offensively with most of his input being in his own half;[LNB] 6 Senior: Started with a free role behind the strikers and Newport found him difficult to pick up;[LNB] 8 Hatch: Off the mark very early on in an extremely hard-working display[LNB] 6 Offiong: Used blistering pace to good effect, winning the free-kick from which Hatch scored[LNB] Subs:[LNB] Moore (for Offiong 62): Struggled to make an impact as Newport pressed 5[LNB] Wright (for Senior 67): Had a great chance to make it 2-0 but couldn't even hit the target 5[LNB] M Smith (for Hatch 88) (not used): Jack (gk), Clarke[LNB] NEWPORT COUNTY (4-4-2):[LNB] Thompson 6; Bignot 7 (Knights 89), Todd 6, Warren 6, Collins 7; HENRY 7, Odhiambo 7, Rogers 5 (Foley 68, 6), Rose 6; Reid 7, Matthews 5 (Sole 69, 6). Subs (not used): Garner (gk), Thorne[LNB] MAN OF THE MATCH[LNB] SAM Russell the difference between three points and one.[LNB]
