Darlington out of Cup

27 November 2010 18:40
A disappointing Darlington performance resulted in Quakers going out of the FA Cup at the second round stage 2-0 against York City today.[LNB] Darlington did remarkably well to get the game on with The Northern Echo Arena playing surface passing a morning inspection by referee Paul Tierney.[LNB] Club staff and fans had worked throughout Friday and Saturday morning to ensure the pitch and surrounding areas were clear of snow, but their efforts went to waste as Quakers slumped to a second successive defeat.[LNB] At home to a fellow Blue Square Bet Premier side, Darlington had an opportunity to reach the third round for the first time since 2002-03 season.[LNB] But those hopes were dashed by goals in the 44th and 93rd minutes during what was a lacklusture display.[LNB] The match, played between the sides that at the start of the day were positioned 11th and 13th, was predictably evenly-matched before the break with neither side seriously testing their opposite keeper.[LNB] Aaron Brown curled a free-kick narrowly wide for Quakers while City's Djoumin Sangare saw a low drive flash narrowly wide of Sam Russell's goal.[LNB] But just as the game appeared to be heading for a goal-less first 45 minutes, up popped Sangare to give the Minstermen the lead, though the goal owed much to slack defending as Darlington were unable to deal with a simple long ball down the centre of the field.[LNB] Keeper Michael Ingham's clearance was flicked on Michael Rankine and midfielder Sangare did the rest, slotting past Russell from eight yards.[LNB] After the break Darlington soon made a change with the out-of-sorts Tommy Wright replaced by Paul Arnison.[LNB] A defensive reshuffle followed, seeing Ian Miller moved to centre-back, and that allowed Liam Hatch to move up front where he posed a more physical threat than Wright.[LNB] Within seconds of the switch Miller saw a shot blocked, though he though Sangare had used a hand, but Darlington did little to test Ingham.[LNB] Chris Moore, a sub who had replaced Keith Gillespie, beat right-back Neil Barrett and crossed but Chris Senior could only divert his close-range effort wide while Marc Bridge-Wilkinson floated a harmless free-kick into the hands of the York keeper.[LNB] In injury time, with Darlignton have pushed men forward in search of an equaliser, York counted and got their second goal with Rankine again the provider.[LNB] The burly York forward, who Cooper later said was the difference between the two sides, pushed Brown off the ball and crossed from the right for the unmarked Ashley Chambers to tap into an empty net.[LNB] With their FA Cup exploits over for the season, focus now switches to Tuesday's home game with Histon.[LNB] Goals: Sangare (44, 0-1), Chambers (90, 0-2)[LNB] Bookings: Hatch (30, foul); Sangare (36, foul); Brough (78, foul), Arnison (83, foul), Brown (89, foul); Meredith (90, foul)[LNB] Referee: Paul Tierney (Wigan)[LNB] Attendance: 3,481[LNB] Darlington (4-4-1-1): Russell; Miller, Hone, Hatch, Brown, Gillespie (Moore 72), Brough, Verma, Senior, Bridge-Wilkinson, Wright (Arnison 55). Subs (not used): Bertram (gk), G Smith, Main, P Gray, J Gray[LNB] York City (4-3-3): Ingham; J Smith (Barrett 19), McGurk, C Smith, Meredith; Sangare, Weir, Racchi; Chambers, Rankine (Constantine 90), Till (Fyfield 71). Subs (not used): Knight (gk), Carruthers, Young, McDermott[LNB]

Source: Northern_Echo