How The Others Saw It

The lincolnshire Echo.

Lincoln City were knocked out of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy at the first round by Darlington.

The Imps lost 1-0 at the Northern Echo Arena, with former City striker Lee Thorpe bagging the only goal of the game in the first half.

City looked positive in the first 20 minutes and pushed hard before the Quakers took the lead.

In the second half the Imps pushed forward, but Darlington held on to claim their first win of the season.

At the final whistle the disgruntled travelling Imps supporters chanted ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’ to City boss Peter Jackson as the defeat heaped more pressure on him.


Darlington and Stockton Times

Lee Thorpe’s first goal for the club was enough to give Darlington their long-awaited first win of the season at home to Lincoln City.

At the seventh attempt Quakers tasted a deserved victory thanks to the striker’s smart first half finish to secure a place in the second round of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.

But the occasion attracted only 828 supporters – the third lowest in Darlington’s history.

Not since meeting Carlisle in the same much-maligned competition 21 years ago have so few attended a Quakers match but manager Colin Todd was more interested in what was arguably the team’s best performance so far.

“We controlled a lot of the game and overall it was a very good performance,” said Todd.

“In the first half we passed the ball as well as we have all season, we moved the ball around well, got balls in the penalty area and could have had more goals.

“The goal we scored on Saturday against Cheltenham gave the players a lift and you could see that tonight, it boosted their confidence, “But what was most important was that we won, we did that and we did it with a clean sheet.”

It was Quakers’ first clean sheet of the season, though Lincoln started brightly and should have scored in the tenth minute when striker Paul Connor was through on goal but he allowed himself to be closed down by Quakers keeper David Knight who made a smart save.

A minute later Connor teed up Shane Clarke but he slipped as he fired at Knight’s goal and a minute later came Darlington’s first effort, Gary Smith heading wide following good build-up play involving Kevin Gall, Jamie Chandler and Mark Convery.

Convery was recalled as one of four changes along with Paul Arnison, Matt Plummer and Thorpe while Steve Foster, Rikki Bains, Jordan Cook and Dean Windass all dropped out of the line-up.

Thorpe was narrowly off target with a bullet header from a Convery cross but a minute later the same pair combined to give Darlington a 27th minute lead.

From the touchline Convery delivered a ball into the six-yard box where Thorpe held off a defender to volley home against one of his former clubs.

The goal also meant Quakers held the lead for the first time this season, and advantage they almost doubled eight minutes later with a Convery volley that was tipped over by keeper Robert Burch.

Darlington improved as the half went on and were rarely troubled by a side in poor form, although Knight had to be alert when Rene Howe got ahead of Ian Miller and volleyed at goal but the attempt was saved.

Just after the break Gall, looking for a goal against a club he played 11 games for last season, saw a volley fly narrowly wide as Darlington started the second half on top.

With Jamie Chandler again Quakers’ most productive player, Todd’s team initially looked good for a second goal but it did not come during a largely uneventful second period.

But the game’s tempo raised after both managers made a double change with Todd sending on Jeff Smith and David Dowson and within a minute Quakers had created an opening.

Arnison’s ball into the penalty are was met by the head of Thorpe but Burch got down well to save.

Darlington were coasting to victory though they were almost caught napping when Mark Hone got on the end of a free-kick and fired just over.

In the closing minutes Dowson cut inside and fired a venomous drive that Burch tipped over but the keeper was furious with his defence.

As Darlington prepared to take the corner the angry keeper forcefully pushed team-mate Moses Swaibu and had to be calmed down by referee Mark Haywood.

Burch will hope no doubt for an improved performance on Saturday while Darlington want the same again when the teams meet again in League Two at Sincil Bank.

n The second round draw takes place on Saturday morning and the game will take place week commencing October 5.

Goals: Thorpe (27, 1-0).

Bookings: Clarke, (20, foul), Hone (55, foul); Arnison (74, foul), Thorpe (80, foul).

Referee: Mark Haywood (Manchester) 6.

Attendance: 828.

Sporting Life/


Darlington eased to a first win of the season as Lee Thorpe’s goal earned them a 1-0 Johnstone’s Paint Trophy win over beleaguered Lincoln.

Thorpe grabbed the only goal of the game with a close-range volley that left Rob Burch with no chance in the 27th minute to send the Quakers on their way.

Lincoln had enjoyed plenty of possession in the opening stages of the game and they should have gone ahead when Paul Connor was left free inside the six-yard box in the 10th minute, only for a brave block from Darlington keeper David Knight to deny him the Imps man.

Kevin Gall then volleyed narrowly wide for Darlington before Thorpe got his goal by getting on the end of Mark Convery’s cross.

Gall could have made it two moments after the break with another volley, while the closest Lincoln came to forcing penalties was a late volley from Danny Hone which flew over the bar.