Match Report

Darlington beat Macclesfield Town in August 6-0 but the Silkmen gained their revenge with a fine win in the north-east.

A quiet opening to the game suggested that a repeat scoreline was not on the cards on a dreary March afternoon seven months later.

The first action of any sort came in the ninth minute when Macc keeper Jon Brain held on to a David Poole corner from under his crossbar.

The game livened up moments later when Matthew Flynn scythed through Darlington's Tim Ryan with the Macc player receiving a yellow card from referee Gibb.

Darlington captain Steve Foster tried to inject some life into the game with a 25-yard free-kick that flew wide of the Macclesfield goal in the 23rd minute and 60 seconds later the visitors went closer with a similar free-kick from Lee Bell that went narrowly over Darlington keeper Andy Oakes' bar.

A clash of heads involving team-mates Paul Morgan and Nat Brown in the 34th minute left Macclesfield captain Morgan requiring treatment.

Thankfully Morgan was able to resume and Macclesfield took the lead six minutes later when Gareth Evans raced into the area to receive a pass from Emile Sinclair. Evans volleyed into the far corner of the net past Oakes from 12 yards out.

Darlington replaced 16-year-old midfielder Corey Barnes with 16-year-old striker Curtis Main at the interval.

In the 51st minute Quakers midfielder Jason Kennedy fried straight at Brain from the edge of the area but a defensive mistake allowed Darlington back into the match nine minutes later.

Defender Sean Hessey and keeper Brain got in a tangle inside the area and, when Brain dropped the ball, Darlington midfielder Poole lashed the ball in from 12 yards.

Darlington's joy was short-lived though as substitute Clayton Fortune tackled Sinclair inside the area and a penalty kick was awarded to Macclesfield. Evans sent Oakes the wrong way from the spot in the 67th minute as the visitors claimed all three points.

Corners

Fouls

Goal attempts

Shots off target

Offsides