Town impress to finally end Quakers’ run

A GOAL in each half from Jack Diamond and Lloyd Kerry gave classy Harrogate Town a comfortable victory at Blackwell Meadows.

Darlington, who had beaten National League high-fliers Solihull Moors only three days before in the previous round, had the better of the early chances with Justin Donawa showing some particularly good skill when he cleverly flicked the ball over two defenders in the area, but Will Smith managed to get in a saving tackle on the six-yard line.

Stephen Thompson went close with an effort from the edge of the box, while former Darlington striker Mark Beck side-footed a Ryan Fallowfield cross just past the post at the other end.

Soon after Quakers’ defender Michael Liddle limped off injured and was replaced by

Jordan Watson, Harrogate steadily took control and grabbed the lead on 32 minutes when a clearance by Will Smith was flicked on by Beck and then Brendan Kiernan for Diamond to coolly run through and slot past Darlington keeper Chris Elliott.

The keeper then made a full-length save to deny Diamond again from the edge of the box, and then on half-time, blocked a low shot by Kerry, and quickly denied George Thomson on the follow up.

Kiernan twice broke into the box in the second half, and then Thomson hit the crossFC bar from 25 yards out with Elliott beaten.

Quakers kept battling away, and nearly levelled with a blistering low shot by Thompson that Joe Cracknell just managed to push around the post, and then Thompson put another effort wide from a Donawa cross.

Cracknell again denied Thompson, and Donawa put a good chance wide, before Harrogate made the game safe with three minutes left, when Kerry burst away and buried a right foot shot past Elliott.