Kick-off: 15:00
Venue: 96.6 TFM Darlington Arena
Attendance: 4408
Referee: Evans, K

Live Commentary

90 mins

The ref has blown his whistle for full time.

86 mins

Kevin McBride goes into the referees book for unsporting behaviour.

85 mins

Neil Roberts is being taken off, Marc Williams has come on in his place.

78 mins

Tommy Wright is replaced by Gregg Blundell.

75 mins

Mark Jones is replaced by Levi Mackin.

72 mins

Goal!! Julian Joachim scores for Darlington.

71 mins

Eifion Williams is being taken off, Matt Done has come on in his place.

69 mins

Shaun Pejic is booked for unsporting behaviour.

67 mins

Pawel Abbott is being taken off, Rob Purdie has come on in his place.

66 mins

Chris Palmer is being taken off, David Stockdale has come on in his place.

63 mins

It's red. He's off. Andy Oakes has been sent off.

47 mins

The referee has booked Tommy Wright.

46 mins

The second half is under way with the score currently at 1 v 0.

45 mins

Half time whistle is blown by K Evans

42 mins

Goal!! Darlington have scored with Kevin McBride putting it in the back of the net.

31 mins

The referee has booked Danny Williams.

19 mins

The referee has booked Ryan Valentine.

0 mins

It's 3pm on Saturday, August 11th, the match has kicked off.

Match Report

New-look Darlington began the season in fine style with a comprehensive victory over their Welsh opponents and they also got the clean sheet that had been predicted by manager Dave Penney before the season began.

It was a disappointing afternoon for the visitors who went down to a goal just before the break, but after Darlington keeper Andy Oakes was sent off in the second-half they felt that this was their chance to get something from the game. But it was not to be and a further goal for the home side secured the points on a sunny, summer afternoon in the North East.

Chances were limited in a quiet first-half as both sides began the new season at a slow pace.

The visitors came close to opening the scoring when former Hartlepool striker Eifion Williams tested Oakes from only eight-yards out, and then at the other end of the pitch home striker Tommy Wright fired goalwards on the half-hour mark only to see his effort deflected wide of the target.

Darlington finished the first period on a high and Julian Joachim fired goalwards from the edge of the area and it took a defensive header from Danny Williams to clear the danger.

As the half drew to a close, home striker Kevin McBride, signed from Motherwell in the close season, headed in the game's opening goal when connecting with a cross from Pawel Abbott.

Wrexham came close to an equaliser when former Sunderland striker Michael Proctor headed narrowly over early into the second period.

Abbott fired in an excellent finish into the top corner in the 55th minute but the referee ruled the goal out after a narrow offside decision.

The visitors still felt they could get back into the game when Oakes brought down Proctor and was red-carded in the 63rd minute but Joachim eased the home side's nerves when he latched on to a flick from Wright and fired into the top corner of the net in the 72nd minute.

Darlington Team

Wrexham Team

Darlington

Wrexham

Corners

Fouls

Goal attempts

Shots off target

Offsides

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