£2.50 >> THE MATCH DAY PROGRAMME OF DARLINGTON FOOTBALL CLUB VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH DARLINGTON V ALFRETON TOWN SATURDAY 12TH AUGUST 2017 | KICK OFF 3.00PM | BLACKWELL MEADOWS Official Benchwear and NATIONAL Match Ball Sponsor LEAGUE “FOR FANS, FOR FOOTBALL, FOR EVER” from the dugout V ALFRETON TOWN >> WITH MARTIN GRAY Directors Chief Executive Officer: David Johnston John Tempest Good afternoon everybody Darlington 1883 Supporters Society Limited and welcome to the game. Football thought we played some very good football against Manager: Martin Gray Gainsborough on Wednesday night. We played the game at Assistant manager: Brian Atkinson a fast tempo and looked dangerous on several occasions, but Coach: Sean Gregan I Scout: Harry Dunn overall it wasn’t the performance we wanted. Psychologist: Darren Sutton DARLINGTON’S PREMIER LEISURE SCHEME Our defending needs to improve, it certainly wasn’t of the Kit Manager: Bradley Blythe same level as it was at Salford last Saturday. I thought that we Assistant Kit Manager: Gary Smith could have prevented all three goals, we made mistakes that Physios: Jimmy Nesbitt let them back into the game at 3-1, when really we should Darlington Football Club Officials have shut up shop, and that’s what disappointed me. We Club Secretary: Jonathan Jowett shouldn’t be conceding three goals at home, and I made that Matchday secretary: Rob Jones point to the players after the game. Communications and Media manager: Ray Simpson We must adopt that clean sheet mentality, because that will Safety Officer: Graham Reeves earn us victories as we proved at Salford on Saturday. We Accounts: Malcolm Davison don’t want to be in the same situation as last season when Hospitality: Joanne Cameron we went so long without keeping a clean sheet and putting Retail Manager: Lynn Jasper pressure on ourselves. Football in the Community Lead coach: At least though we collected the three points to put us right Deano Browne Boardroom Host: Colin Ward up there at the top of the table, and I know that it’s a cliché, Match Officials Host: Terry Farley but if we were offered six points from the first two games of Photographers: Nick Burton/Theresa Clear the season, then we would have taken them. I’m sure that Media/Video: Kevin Luff everyone would prefer six points from two games, than none Media/Fans’ Radio: Andrew Simpson at all, so we must look at the positives from the season so far. To contact the club, send an email to We scored some good goals from setplays and maybe should [email protected] have scored more from open play, I was pleased for the four [email protected] lads who scored, in terms of goals it gets them going for the [email protected] season. There are one or two things that need to be better, so Website: darlingtonfootballclub.co.uk then we can push on. This league is relentless, and we can’t Programme Team afford mistakes like that in every game. Ray Simpson (editor), Craig Stoddart, The most important thing though is about winning games, Simon Weatherill, Lynn Jasper, Anthony and we know where we have to improve. McMaster, Chris Sykes, Steve Rees, Kevin Luff, Neil Raper, Wayne Raper, I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank the groundstaff Peter Haygarth, Frank Tweddle, Joanne at Blackwell Meadows for producing a very good playing Cameron, John Tempest, Simon Hahn, Andrew Alton, Rob Jones, Deano Browne surface. They’ve put a lot of hours into it in a short timescale and Leigh Edwards – I know that they have started very early in the morning on some days! So we must thank them for their hard work. Darlington 1883 Ltd. is a company limited by share, registered in England and Wales with company I was also pleased with the size of the crowd on Wednesday number 07914690. night, and I hope everyone enjoyed themselves. Please spread Registered office: Blackwell Meadows, Grange the word, and encourage your friends to come along to future Road, Darlington, County Durham DL1 5NR matches, there are some very good games coming up. Rest Accountants: Total Tax Solutions assured that we will be working hard to win them – and keep 2 Peel Court, St. Cuthberts Way PROUD TO SPONSOR a clean sheet! Darlington, Co Durham, DL1 1GB Enjoy the game. Designed by: KINSHIP, DARLINGTON FC www.designbykinship.co.uk Printed by: MT Print, Darlington Martin www.mtprint.co.uk SATURDAY 12TH AUGUST 2017 > 3 “FOR FANS, FOR FOOTBALL, FOR EVER” For all your vehicle leasing needs, we’ve got you covered. Captain’s >> WITH PHIL TURNBULL notes Good evening everyone and VANS welcome to today’s game. hen we looked at possession because that CARS the fixtures in July, deflates the opposing team, Wwe would have and kills the game off. taken six points from our On Saturday at Salford we 3-3 Wednesday night – as PICKUP TRUCKS first two matches, so we’re looked really solid and didn’t a team, we’ll just roll our coming into today’s game give much away at all, but sleeves up even further. We’re quite happy with the way on Wednesday we weren’t so always capable of coming up INSURANCE things are going in many much. The way we play, we with something at the other ways. In the first two games feel that we’re always going end as Josh proved with a of the season, you’re aiming to create chances, but there lovely winner, and after that, to get the points on the are times when we’re sloppy there was no way that we board and that gives you defensively and we let our were going to let a 4-3 lead confidence straight away, opponents get back into slip away. We should maybe and takes the pressure off in the game, and that’s what have done at 3-1 what we did trying to win the first match. happened on Wednesday. at 4-3 and saved ourselves On Wednesday night, we There’s a golden rule in some bother, but at least it’s played some very good football that if you score, something to learn from. football at a fast tempo, you must then keep a It was a great finish by Josh and we scored some good clean sheet for the next ten for the winner, and I was O�icial spo�sors of the goals, but we gave ourselves minutes and that’s what we delighted for the other lads a problem by letting failed to do on Wednesday who scored as well. We could Gainsborough back into the night. We allowed them have scored more goals with game when we were 3-1 up. back into the game and the chances that we had I think we made hard work gave them a lift and they got in the first half! We’ll always of winning the game, we back to 3-3. score goals because of the maybe should have shut But one thing that we will talent that we’ve got in the up shop when we went 3-1 never do is to let our heads team, which is a brilliant up with Tez’s goal. There drop. Ever since I came thing, but we just need a Call us on 01442 838 195 or visit vanarama.co.uk are certain things in the to the club, we’ve always little bit of work to get the performance that we want said that whenever we other side of our game right. to eradicate, because we get beat, there is always a So for different reasons, we’re need to keep clean sheets. reaction. We don’t know really looking forward to Maybe continuing to play when to give up, and that today’s game! CARS INSURANCE FROM VANARAMA DIRECT at a fast tempo at 3-1 let quality came through on Enjoy! us down a little bit, maybe Wednesday night. 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Alfreton Town Alfreton Town are our visitors today, and Simon Hahn has done some research on them LAST TWO MATCHES couple of years ago. The referee had to Tuesday 8th August leave the field through injury and was replaced by his linesman. No extra official Boston United 3-1 Alfreton could be found, so the game carried on KEY MOMENTS IN ALFRETON’S HISTORY Mason Warren put Boston ahead after 16 with one linesman after being agreed by · Formed in 1959 following the merger of Alfreton Miners Welfare and Alfreton United minutes, but Craig Westcarr levelled for both teams. Alfreton five minutes later to put them · Early success in the Central Alliance Division One and Midland Counties Leagues Team: Elliott, Topliss, Allan, Platt, Shiels, back in the game.