Source: Northern_Echo
Darlington 4-2 Middlesbrough
Darlington continued their winning form in pre-season after beating close rivals Middlesbrough 4-2 in an entertaining game at the Northern Echo Arena.[LNB] Goals from Liam Hatch, James Walshaw, Jamie Chandler and Ryan Bowman cancelled out strikes from Leroy Lita and Tarmo Kink to condemn Tony Mowbray's side to their first defeat of pre-season.[LNB] Boro were quickest out the traps and should have taken the lead less than three minutes in when Kink robbed the ball from Michael Smith and fired a stinging shot at Sam Russell, who could only spill the ball in the path of Lita, but the forward just failed to make a connection.[LNB] Minutes later Lita went close again when he capitalised on Ian Miller's stray pass and drove a low shot that went inches wide of the post.[LNB] Lita along with strike partner Marvin Emnes were looking lively and the pair almost combined to give Boro the lead when a clever one-two put Emnes through, only for a good interception from Graeme Lee to send his effort wide.[LNB] The visitors were made to pay for their succession of missed chances in the 17th minute when Liam Hatch headed Quakers ahead from Kris Taylor's right-sided corner.[LNB] However, the hosts' lead was short-lived when Boro got themselves back into the game when the lively Lita picked up the ball and shrugged off a challenge from Chandler, before unleashing a low shot past Russell in the 21st minute.[LNB] Having missed earlier chances, Boro were now in their stride and Mowbray's men took the lead on 30 minutes when Emnes sent Kink through leaving the Estonian to slot the ball home from close range.[LNB] It looked as though Boro would go into the half-time break in front, but Quakers hit back and levelled in the 43rd minute.[LNB] A looping ball over the top from Greg Taylor caused problems for Boro keeper Danny Coyne, leaving Walshaw to scramble the ball home from point-blank range.[LNB] Quakers then took the lead nine minutes after the interval through a lovely move. Hatch sent strike partner Walshaw free down the left, where he delivered an inch perfect cross to Chandler, who was waiting at the back post unmarked to head his side in front.[LNB] Then, in the 90th minute, Quakers sealed an impressive win over their Chanpionship rivals when Bowman on trial from Carlisle sent a deep cross in from the right that went into the top corner of Coyne's net.[LNB] [LNB] Darlington: Russell; G Taylor, Miller, Lee, Madden (Gray 46); Chandler, Elliot (Rundle 46) (McReady 52, K Taylor (Ferguson 77); Hatch (Wright 66), M Smith (Campbell 46), Walshaw (Bowman 66).[LNB] Subs not used: Nixon (gk), Quinn, Bridge-Wilkinson.[LNB] [LNB] Middlesbrough: Coyne; McMahon, McManus, Williams, Grounds (Hines 65); Bailey (Martin 65), Robson (Miller 72) Zemmama (Reach 65), Kink (Main 87); Emnes (Williams 66), Lita.[LNB] Subs not used: Ripley (gk).[LNB] [LNB]
