Source: Northern_Echo
Darlington 6 Eastbourne Borough 1
Rarely are Darlington in a position to feel sorry for their opposition, but beating a part-time club from the other end of the country 6-1 evoked empathy among Quakers followers.[LNB] [LNB] The moment came midway through the second half as fans warmly applauded the small band of Eastbourne Borough supporters that had travelled 300 miles to see their team walloped.[LNB] It was not out of pity, nor was it patronising, it was simply an empathetic gesture as the home supporters showed some goodwill to Eastbourne's 13 travelling fans. [LNB] After all, Darlington supporters know how it feels to suffer a hammering.[LNB] Only last season they were on the receiving end of several - at the hands of Torquay, Chesterfield and Notts County - but on Saturday the tables were turned as rampant Darlington ran riot against the division's bottom club.[LNB] It was 5-0 by half-time - there were periods last season when Darlington did not score five inside a month.[LNB] Those five goals came within 19 minutes of each other with Marc Bridge-Wilkinson helping himself to a hat-trick and then it became 6-0 after just before the hour mark. It was breathtaking stuff.[LNB] The only disappointment, aside from the late conceded goal, which manager Mark Cooper was surprisingly blasé about, was that Quakers were unable to record a bigger tally.[LNB] Though Saturday's win is the biggest seen at The Northern Echo Arena, eclipsing the 5-1 win over Luton Town of 2009, the club's biggest ever win remains the 1928's 9-2 victory over Lincoln, but that record was there for the taking.[LNB] Darlington ruthlessly exploited the gulf in class between the teams, particularly during a one-sided first half as they toyed with their woeful opponents who had lost ten consecutive league games before the weekend.[LNB] So many gaps appearing in Eastbourne's midfield that they appeared to be playing with only nine men, which is exactly what they did when the teams met in last September's meeting, yet still Darlington could only draw 1-1.[LNB] That shame of that result has stayed with Cooper so he was glad to dish out a revenge beating, though more pertinently he was pleased with his team's style of play.[LNB] "I'm not just happy the goals, I'm happy with the manner in which we played," he said.[LNB] "When you play a diamond in midfield you've got to move the ball around and get it out to your full-backs so that's something we've been doing a lot of work on.[LNB] "We made a conscious decision a few weeks ago to really attack, to go really go for it. That means pushing our full-backs on, getting them as high and wide as possible, and it's started to work. It's about getting Bridge-Wilkinson on the ball and if you're going to play like that you need a high tempo.[LNB] "Eastbourne had lost ten games in a row before this, that run will end one day and I was wary of it that being against us.[LNB] "A few of their players, when they got a point against us at their place, were not too gracious in their conduct so it was nice to sort a few of them out."[LNB] Asked why his team were able to put six past Eastbourne despite struggling against the same opposition last September, Cooper simply responded: "We've got better players now. It's no secret, good players."[LNB] One of those is Bridge-Wilkinson. His 15-minute hat-trick means he has seven goals in 17 games while he also assisted a goal for Aman Verma who is another that was not with club in September.[LNB] Bridge-Wilkinson got Darlington off the mark with a 19th minute free-kick, though it may have been an attempted cross, which bounced over a clutch of players in the penalty area before hitting the back of the net.[LNB] Ten minutes later he made it 2-0 with his first penalty of the day after he had been upended by Matt Crabb.[LNB] The kick was low and to the keeper's right, and so too was his hat-trick goal which also came from the spot, this time after Verma was fouled by Matt Smart.[LNB] Neither penalty decision was contested by Eastbourne, both were clear-cut, though their body language was telling. After only half an hour it was 3-0 and they looked beaten.[LNB] Eastbourne were struggling to escape their own half as a dominant Darlington piled forward and before the hapless part-time visitors had chance to regroup Liam Hatch headed the fourth.[LNB] Arriving at the far post, he met Paul Arnison's whipped in ball from the right.[LNB] Although bottom and without a league win in their previous 16 attempts, prior to the weekend Eastbourne had not conceded more than four in a game.[LNB] That changed in the 37th minute thanks largely to a deft piece of skill by Hatch who flicked the ball over Eddie Hutchinson on the byline before striker John Campbell collected possession, cut inside and fired home from 18 yards.[LNB] He was assisted, however, by some dreadful goalkeeping courtesy of Tommy Forecast who might say he did not see Campbell's shot coming.[LNB] Still, that strike was far from Campbell's only valuable contribution during another impressive outing that leaves one to wonder what he was doing playing Northern League football in the first place.[LNB] In the last three games the former Newcastle Benfield man has slotted seamlessly into Quakers' attack, linking up well with team-mates, though illness meant he was prematurely withdrawn at the break with tomorrow's game at Cambridge United in mind.[LNB] "I thought Campbell looked a good player," said Cooper. "He had good movement, he was quick, a genuine goal threat and he linked up well with Hatchy. Him and Hatchy caused problems for Eastbourne, they were a constant threat.[LNB] "I liked Campbell's goal the most because it was his first for us and because of the way it was worked. There was Hatch's nice little flick and then Campbell, who was making his home debut, bent it into the bottom corner.[LNB] "That was a good goal and so was Hatchy's from Arnison's cross, but they were all good goals."[LNB] At 5-0 up only those particularly sceptical feared Quakers crumble in the manner a gutless Arsenal did seven days previously at Newcastle.[LNB] A cautious Cooper pointed out: "I told the players that when I was at Peterborough last year there was a game when we were 4-0 down at half-time against Cardiff who were right at the top of the league. We had played like Eastbourne had, but in the second half we got back to 4-4 in the last minute.[LNB] "So you're always wary, you can't take anything for granted."[LNB] An impressive feature of the first half was Quakers' desire to continue going for goal, maintaining a high tempo, though the second period, almost inevitably, did not live up to the first.[LNB] But any hopes that Eastbourne had of attempting an heroic comeback were quashed when Verma made it 6-0 with another fine goal. He played a one-two with Bridge-Wilkinson before smashing home his fifth goal in 13 appearances.[LNB] Thereafter Darlington played keep-ball and with no longer any competitive edge to the game, the atmosphere dipped. Perhaps the supporters were more stunned.[LNB] Darlington could have been dispirited not to have chipped away at the gap between themselves in 13th and the play-offs, which remains 12 points, but they will not have been as downhearted as the travelling players and fans.[LNB] The Eastbourne 13, mentioned on the stadium public address system which instigated the applause, stayed until the end and at least got to see their team score.[LNB] Quakers were unable to defend a corner swung over by George Purcell and that allowed Neil Jenkins to head home from close-range.[LNB] Cooper added: "I could grumble about the goal we conceded, but when you're 5-0 up at half-time it's inevitable that the opposition are going to have a reaction. They probably had a rollicking at half-time and in the second half they sat in a bit more, made it difficult, didn't allow us space.[LNB] "We scored six so I'm not going to complain about conceding one. I was pleased with the performance, I thought we were exceptional.[LNB] "Full credit to the players. I'm not going to take anything away from them today. Sometimes I'm a bit harsh on them, but that's only because I want to win. Today they were outstanding, especially in the first half.[LNB] "You could probably go on about how bad Eastbourne were, but you can only beat what's in front of you."[LNB] MATCHFACTS[LNB] Goals:[LNB] 1-0: Bridge-Wilkinson (19, a flighted free-kick that bounced in a crowded goalmouth before reaching the net)[LNB] 2-0: Bridge-Wilkinson (29, a penalty low to keeper's right after Bridge-Wilkinson had been fouled by Matt Crabb)[LNB] 3-0: Bridge-Wilkinson (33, another penalty low to keeper's right, this time after Smart had upended Verma)[LNB] 4-0: Hatch (34, stooping header at the far post to meet Arnison ball whipped in from the right)[LNB] 5-0: Campbell (37, drive into corner, that should have been saved, was preceded Hatch's delicate flick that deceived Eastbourne defender Hutchinson)[LNB] 6-0: Verma (58, a driving run through midfield after playing a one-two with Bridge-Wilkinson)[LNB] 6-1: Jenkins (85, close-range header as Darlington were unable to deal with a corner)[LNB] Booking: Johnson (72, foul)[LNB] Referee: Paul Hodskinson (Lancashire) - Aside from being lenient when booking Johnson, who had gone in very hard on Senior, he avoided any controversy 8[LNB] Attendance: 1,660[LNB] Entertainment: *****[LNB] Darlington (4-1-2-1-2):[LNB] 6 Russell: Had little do other than occasional catching practice, hence the relatively low mark;[LNB] 8 Arnison: Spent more time in the opposition half than his own and provided a cracking cross for Hatch to score[LNB] 7 Miller: Made a handful of important blocks as he stayed alert to deal with any rare Eastbourne attacks[LNB] 7 Burn: Kept his place at the expense of Quinn, who was on the bench, and did not look out of place[LNB] 8 Brown: Up the left-wing for most of the afternoon, but did not need to bother tracking back;[LNB] 7 Chandler: Picked up an early calf injured which may have hindered him but it did not show;[LNB] 9 Verma: A cracking long-range strike capped another outstanding display in which he showcased his class[LNB] 7 G Smith: Not involved as heavily further forward but saw plenty of the ball elsewhere on the pitch;[LNB] 9 Bridge-Wilkinson: Made the most of the freedom afforded by a non-existent Eastbourne midfield;[LNB] 8 Hatch: Contributed to Campbell's goal with a wonderful piece of skill and scored himself with a header[LNB] 8 Campbell: A shame he did not feature in the second half as he would surely have added a second goal[LNB] Subs:[LNB] Modest (for Campbell 46): Kept Eastbourne's defenders occupied but nothing fell for him 6[LNB] Taylor (for Chandler 56): Began in midfield but eventually moved to right-back 6[LNB] Senior (for Hatch 61): Would love to have scored on a goal on his comeback after three months on the sidelines 6[LNB] (not used): St Louis-Hamilton (gk), Quinn[LNB] Eastbourne Borough (4-5-1): Forecast 2; Baker 4, Hutchinson 5, Elphick 4, Jenkins 4; Brinkhurst 4, Smart 4, Weatherstone 3 (N Crabb 61, 4), Johnson 3, M Crabb 4 (Purcell 77); Taylor 3 (Paquette 55, 4). Subs (not used): Banks (gk), Demetriou[LNB] Man of the Match[LNB] Marc Bridge-Wilkinson - Became the first Darlington player to score an Arena hat-trick since Barry Conlon five years ago[LNB] [LNB]
