Source: Northern_Echo
Darlington draw with nine-man Eastbourne
Eastbourne Borough 1-1 Darlington[LNB] Darlington remain without an away win this season after being embarrassingly held by nine-man Eastbourne Borough.[LNB] Chris Senior headed in his first goal for Quakers three minutes before half-time at Priory Lane, by which point the hosts were two men light following the dismissals of Neil Jenkins and goalkeeper Rikki Banks either side of the half-hour mark.[LNB] With no keeper on the bench, Eastbourne midfielder Matt Smart volunteered to go in goal.[LNB] Despite dominating possession, Darlington were unable to make their numerical advantage count and, having wasted several chances, were punished for a casual second-half display when Jamie Taylor powered in a header which Sam Russell was unable to prevent crossing the line.[LNB] A first half of little interest burst into lift with the two dismissals. First to depart was left-back Jenkins, shown a straight red for a sliding tackle on Gary Smith, swiftly followed by Banks. Racing out to meet a hopeful ball forward from the returning Liam Hatch, referee Mr Bull deemed Banks to have collected the ball outside the area.[LNB] Unsurprisingly, Quakers began to dominate possession and territory and made the breakthrough when Paul Arnison crossed from the right for Senior to head in.[LNB] A reminder that Mark Cooper's team could ill afford to drop their guard arrived on the cusp of half-time with Taylor beating Joe Clarke and Danny Hone to a long punt upfield and forcing Russell into a near-post save.[LNB] Taylor pressed Russell into service again soon after the break before Cooper, anxious that his team were lacking urgency, switched to 4-4-2 by introducing Josh Gray for Jamie Chandler and Richard Offiong for Hatch. Gray was immediately involved, crossing to the back post, where Michael Smith fired into the side netting.[LNB] The same player, having been played in by Gray's square ball, was then denied by Smart with just the keeper to beat. With the lead still only one, Eastbourne were always in with a shout and they duly made Quakers pay on 69 minutes, Russell unable to prevent Taylor's header from crossing the line following Matt Crab's corner.[LNB] Despite considerable late pressure, the Sports held firm, much to the disbelief of the Darlington fans standing behind Smart's goal. The result left Cooper so angry that he declined to speak to the media after the game.[LNB] Instead assistant Richard Dryden attended the post-match press conference where he hinted there could be a number of changes for the home game with Forest Green next weekend.[LNB]
