Five-star Darlington back on top (From The Advertiser Series)

Five-star Darlington back on top

5:42pm Saturday 8th September 2012 in Sport By Craig Stoddart, Deputy Sports Editor

Darlington 5 Consett 0

Darlington returned to the top of the table in comprehensive fashion thanks to a 5-0 win against Consett that included what’s thought to be the club’s quickest ever goal.

Amar Purewal netted after only 15 seconds at Heritage Park at the beginning of a comfortable win that saw Quakers respond in perfect fashion to the midweek 4-1 loss at Guisborough.

Purewal netted after collecting a long pass by right Stephen Harrison.

The second goal on 37 minutes was provided by Chris Emms as Quakers quickly took a grip. He fed the ball forward to David Dowson who poked the ball beyond Consett’s Peter Jameson, despite colliding with keeper just outside the penalty area.

Although he hit the deck, the ball rolled into the net and referee Mr D Markham gave the goal and within two minutes it became 3-0 and again Dowson netted.

This time it owed more to trickery with Adam Nicholls the provider. He attempted to work an opening in the centre of Consett’s penalty area and evnetually laid the ball off to blast home.

The fourth goal came just after the break was the best of the day.

Scored by Emms after receiving a Nicholls pass, he played a first-time chip from 20 yards that dropped sweetly over Jameson.

That 50th minute goal killed the game as a contest as Consett knew there was no way back while Quakers took their foot off the pedal.

It was not until the 81st minute that Shaun Reay added the fifth. He had been dropped, but after coming off the bench the striker netted his sixth goal in as many matches and again Nicholls was the provider.

He played a pass up to Reay who, with one sublime touch, brought the ball under control and rounded Jameson.

The goal completed the scoring in a comprehensive Darlington display in which keeper Jack Norton was rarely tested. After the break he had to make a low stop to deny Michael Mackay and also pawed away a Stephen Callen effort on an otherwise comfortable day.

Darlington gave a debut to Joe Tait who started at centre-back after signing yesterday and he put in a solid show.

Quakers are next in action at Heritage Park on Wednesday when they play Newton Aycliffe while Consett are at home to Shildon on Tuesday.

Goals: Amar Purewal (1, 1-0), Dowson (37, 2-0), Dowson (39, 3-0), Emms (50, 4-0), Reay (81, 5-0)

Bookings : None

Referee: D Markham

Attendance: 1,287

Darlington (4-4-2): Norton; Harrison, Tait, Arjun Purewal, Richardson (Clough 51); Emms, Ellison, Scott, Nicholls; Dowson (Reay 62), Amar Purewal (Johnson 58). Subs (not used): Porter (gk), Grieve

Consett (4-4-2): Jameson, Sullivan, Davidson (Slocombe 72), Smith, Scorer, Pearson, Aiston (Callen 75), Robson, Teasdale, Mackay, Davies. Subs (not used): Stanger, Elliott (gk), Richardson