Match Thread

[al_quaker]

We need a new keeper and more like Kevin Burgess

Overreaction

[Darlo_Pete]

We need a new keeper and more like Kevin Burgess

Penalty to Darlo.

[al_quaker]

2-2!

[MikeinBlack2]

Pen to Darlo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2-2 Galbraiyh YEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSS

[Wijnhard's_Schlong]

We need a new keeper and more like Kevin Burgess

Classic. Massive over reaction one game in. Tit.

[Darlo_Pete]

2-2 Galbraith you beauty, almost the last kick of the game.

[Wijnhard's_Schlong]

Get in there 2-2!!

[Darlo_Pete]

Portas should have had another penalty, ends 2-2 good point for Darlo.

[MikeinBlack2]

FT 2-2 Good result

[al_quaker]

Very good point that I think. Altrincham will probably be up there at the end of the season.

[joejaques]

FT 2-2, thanks for the commentary (well, what I could understand of it).

[Darlogramps]

We need a new keeper and more like Kevin Burgess

Classic. Massive over reaction one game in. Tit.

Particularly from someone who's not actually at the game.

[Mick]

Phew. Good start. Happy with that.

[poppyfield]

We are 8th in the league, only two points off the top

[joejaques]

We are 8th in the league, only two points off the top

Not even in the play-off places? Sack the manager.

[Darl-Zero]

434 Darlo fans.

Did that include all those Darlo shirts in the main stand?

[onewayup]

I'd estimate around 550/650Darlington fans there was at least 150 in the main stand.plus behind the goal which looked pretty full.

[onewayup]

All in all a very good start to national league north campaign.

[bga]

Have I missed some injury news recently....why no Thomo today, or did he just not make the match day squad? Thought we battled well in the 2nd half and seemed as fit as them. Were they full time last season/this season?

[Darlofan97]

All in all a well-deserved point.

In some of our play we looked tired and off the pace. Maybe to be expected with Turnbull, Scott & Gillies not really having much of a pre-season.

Good to see some usual rubbish aimed at Jameson & Purewal today.

Jameson was at fault for the penalty and maybe the first, but he's a young goalkeeper and has served us well time and time again. He'll win us more points than he loses us this season, he looked absolutely devasted at 2-1 down.

And again, Purewal was expected to play the target-man role today, but he came up against a huge centre-half. He's not a target-man, there is a reason why his fantastic form 2 seasons ago for us came when he played with Armstrong. His strengths are making runs in behind.

Altrincham created little, and any major chances barring their first goal came when we were chasing the game. They're much-fancied to make the play-offs and I thought that we coped well. Burgess was outstanding, IMO.

[Feethams 1966]

I thought both sides were evenly matched; early days but if that's the standard of our new league I think we will do all right. I took my daughter as she lives near Altrincham and works for AECOM so she knew where to park. She has no interest in football; the only other match I'd taken her to was at Feethams when she was a young child and she was bored, she's 26 now and I wasn't sure how she'd react this time. However she was thrilled and jumped up and down in her seat every time we scored.
I had to explain the rules of the game and I'm not sure she's got the offside rule on board yet but she can't wait to go and see Quakers again; she's definitely going to the Salford away match. Good that after living in Manchester for 8 years that she didn't shout for Altrincham.
There were a lot of Quaker supporters in the main stand like us; the morons didn't spoil it where we were thank goodness but I saw the altercation with their goalkeeper; it looked like he was timewasting and people were letting him know. I didn't think it was much.
Anyway we played well, to come back from a goal down twice, and we have a new Quakers supporter. Well two actually; her fiancee came too. He'd never been to a match before and was just as excited as her.

[HarrytheQuaker]

Subs made a difference
And Defo 500/600 Darlo there

[MikeinBlack2]

Have I missed some injury news recently....why no Thomo today, or did he just not make the match day squad? Thought we battled well in the 2nd half and seemed as fit as them. Were they full time last season/this season?

He was unavailable, holibobs maybe?

[banktopp]

All in all a well-deserved point.

In some of our play we looked tired and off the pace. Maybe to be expected with Turnbull, Scott & Gillies not really having much of a pre-season.

Good to see some usual rubbish aimed at Jameson & Purewal today.

Jameson was at fault for the penalty and maybe the first, but he's a young goalkeeper and has served us well time and time again. He'll win us more points than he loses us this season, he looked absolutely devasted at 2-1 down.

And again, Purewal was expected to play the target-man role today, but he came up against a huge centre-half. He's not a target-man, there is a reason why his fantastic form 2 seasons ago for us came when he played with Armstrong. His strengths are making runs in behind.

Altrincham created little, and any major chances barring their first goal came when we were chasing the game. They're much-fancied to make the play-offs and I thought that we coped well. Burgess was outstanding, IMO.

Talking later in pub with some Alty supporters the general consensus was that Darlington looked a useful team with good close passing and control, and comfortable on the ball. they reckoned come end of season that might be a good point for Altrincham. Couldn't disagree, and the quality of the pitches at this new level should allow for more of a passing game without having to resort to the long ball game.
Couldn't agree more with your comments about Jameson, possibly out of position for first goal and gave penalty in goalmouth scramble for second. In between made a fantastic save from free kick on edge of box. A very good shot stopper and certainly will save us many points this season.

[MCFCDarlo3]

Great point.Fantastic support from Darlo,shame it was an open end though.

Burgess head must be banging,he won every header.Followed the CF out to the wing for the first goal but apart from that thought he was faultless.

Amer & Carts found it very tough going against 2 brick out house CBs,can see why we have brought in a giant up front now for them to play off as another option.If ever a game needed Thomo it was that yesterday.Jameson is a top rate keeper,even the best have bad days.

Overall great day and to top it all met Chris Iwelumo on Stockport station!

[Neil Johnson]

Point gained, what with our extremely poor first half performance and the goalie gaff.

2 faults gave Alty the goals. Watch Marss for the first and obviously Jameson made an uncharacteristic gaff for the second, for which he has apologised.

The first half saw Darlo wasting possession by punting balls into the air up the middle, against a tall team. Their two centre backs were very tall. We won neither first or second ball by this strange tactic.

Purewal can smack into and confuse a defender in the air, but he lacks the ability to take the ball away, as it isn't the NL/NPLN. Hardy came on & was able to win the ball in the air and cause trouble.

Gillies looked likely, but had too many passes to him delayed until he was marked. On the other flank Marss would be unmarked, but was often ignored.

Overall Darlo were below par with passing choices and it needed the substitutions to improve the team play in the last third.

Once Darlo got their act together they made some good chances and had Alty rattled.

Our Fans were bemused & grumbling by the initial aerial approach and the non-selection of Nightingale or Thompson.

Alty's crowd figures don't sound right, as they never had anything like a 1100 home supporters in the ground. They are maybe trying to talk up their home support, after their relegation.

I suppose that we will know a lot more about Boston than we evidently did about Alty and will get the tactics sorted before the game.

[Darlo_Pete]

Last season Altrincham usually got crowds of around 900 to a 1000, so 600 or so Darlo fans sounds about right.

[lo36789]

Nobody else think our penalty looked soft on the highlights?

[shawry]

Nobody else think our penalty looked soft on the highlights?

Listening to the radio it sounded like we got lucky with it, but should have had one after that?

[Darlofan97]

Nobody else think our penalty looked soft on the highlights?

Yes - I remember thinking at the time that it was never a penalty.

But, that said, Portas had his legs wiped clean out in the 98th minute, so I guess that they even themselves out.

The referee yesterday was useless, looking at the highlights I can't believe he booked Gary Brown.