Source: Northern_Echo
Darlington sink to a deserved defeat
Bottom of the table Darlington slipped to their heaviest defeat of the season against Lincoln City who gained swift revenge for losing to Quakers on Tuesday.[LNB] That was in the first round of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy when Colin Todd's side were deserved winners against a very poor side.[LNB] But the roles were reversed today and the defeat for a hapless Darlington was never in doubt from the second minute when Rene Howe gave the hosts the lead.[LNB] He went on to score again before the break and Chris Fagan added another on 55 minutes as Quakers fell to a first loss at Sincil Bank since October 1999.[LNB] Lincoln may have felt the win has been a long time in coming but Darlington could hardly complain about the outcome as they were poor all over the pitch, particularly in the first half.[LNB] They improved after the break but by then Lincoln were 2-0 up, the first goal coming after only two minutes with Howe scoring with a smart volley from ten yards.[LNB] But it was a poor goal to concede from Darlington's point of view.[LNB] They were unable to clear the ball from their own penalty area and eventually Cian Hughton's cross from the right to an unmarked Howe resulted in Lincoln's first goal in for games.[LNB] And they should had two more goals by the 12th minute but Lennell John-Lewis cracked an effort over from eight yards and then he headed straight at Quakers keeper David Knight after meeting a free-kick.[LNB] In the early stages the pressure on Darlington's shaky defence was almost relentless and only a flying Knight save prevented Howe scoring a second.[LNB] The Imps had made four changes to the side which lost to Quakers on Tuesday and their performance was vastly improved as they found space in Darlington's defence and exploited it.[LNB] John-Lewis hit the bar direct from a corner with an inswinging effort but midway through the half Colin Todd's side began to show an improvement with Jordan Cook and David Dowson both causing problems for Lincoln with their willing running.[LNB] Both Cook and Dowson had returned to the line-up, as did Steve Foster, while the injured Lee Thorpe (ankle) and Paul Arnison (hamstring) were unavailable.[LNB] But Dean Windass was the surprise omission. The assistant manager was at Sincil Bank and took charge of the pre-match warm-up but for the first time in the league this season he did not either start or was on the bench.[LNB] However, just as Quakers were making inroads, their shaky defence let them down and Howe made it 2-0 on 30 minutes.[LNB] Knight came off his line to collect John-Lewis's seemingly harmless ball from the left, but the keeper was beaten to the ball by Howe who notched his second of the game and the striker was almost handed a third 60 seconds later.[LNB] The normally reliable Foster's backpass was intercepted by Howe but Knight was able to thwart the danger.[LNB] Cook went off injured with an arm injury, after being clattered by Lincoln's Janos Kovacs, and then Nathan Porritt was replaced by another winger, Josh Gray, just before the break.[LNB] Gray saw a long-range shot go way off target shortly after Gall did the same with an audacious effort from 35 yards at the end of half in which Quakers were easily second best.[LNB] A tame second half erupted inside two minutes with Darlington wrongly having a goal ruled out, and then Lincoln wrapping up the points with a third goal.[LNB] Ten minutes into the half Quakers' Dowson latched on to Gary Smith's through-ball and a calm finished past keeper Rob Burch from inside the penalty area should have made it 2-1.[LNB] But an assistant referee wrongly raised his flag for offside and the decision cost Darlington dear as within seconds it was 3-0 with Chris Fagan scoring.[LNB] The Imps raced up the other end and Jamie Clarke easily dribbled past Ian Miller in Quakers' penalty area before teeing up Fagan who held off Foster to finish.[LNB] Burch was called on to make his first save five minutes later from a Gary Smith free-kick. Miller headed the ball into Plummer's path and his outstretched boot sent the ball goalwards but Burch held on.[LNB] Quakers did marginally improve as the second half wore on, though they rarely threatened to score. Instead they merely stemmed the tide and prevented any further goals but that did not stop the home fans chanting for a fourth goal.[LNB] A fourth goal of the day could have come from Darlington had they not tried to pass the ball into the net following a neat moved involving Gary Smith that ended when sub Curtis Main dallied on the ball and was tackled.[LNB] Howe was looking for a hat-trick goal but he was denied by Knight who made a smart saved and then the striker blazed over from an unmarked position after being played in by sub Andy Hutchinson.[LNB] Inside the last ten minutes Darlington made half-hearted shouts for a penalty when Moses Swaibu slipped and may have handled, but referee Dean Whitestone was well-placed and waved play on.[LNB] A goal at that stage would have been of little consolation following a poor defeat that leaves Todd mulling over his next team selection as too many of his side today were well below par.[LNB] Goals: Howe (2, 1-0), Howe (30, 2-0), Fagan (55, 3-0)[LNB] Bookings: Hutchinson (90, foul)[LNB] Referee: Dean Whitestone (Northampton)[LNB] Attendance: 3,005 (248)[LNB] Lincoln City (4-4-2): Burch; Hughton, Kovacs, Swaibu, Brown; J Clarke (Hutchinson 83), Kerr (S Clarke 86), Butcher, John-Lewis; Howe, Connor (Fagan 20). Subs (not used): Musselwhite (gk), Clucas, Adams, Miller[LNB] Darlington (4-4-2): Knight; Plummer, Foster, Miller, Bower; Porritt (Gray 44), Chandler, G Smith, Cook (J Smith 38); Dowson (Main 64), Gall. Subs (not used): Liversedge (gk), Bains, Convery, Bennett[LNB]
