Scarborough Athletic net late 3-2 win in Boxing Day thriller at leaders Darlington

On-loan Spennymoor midfielder Danny Greenfield made his Boro debut, with new signing from Matlock, Alex Wiles making a late appearance from the bench, while Darlington had ex Boro duo Tommy Taylor and Jacob Hazel in their side, writes Steve Adamson.

Greenfield and Luca Colville both shone in the early stages as Boro started brightly, with Colville and Kieran Glynn combining to set up Greenfield, whose shot was blocked by Danny Dodds, then at the other end Bailey Gooda blocked a strike from Jack Lambert.

Mark Beck headed wide from a Lambert free-kick, before the hosts opened the scoring on 15 minutes when captain Adriano Moke passed forward to the pacy Kaine Felix on the right, and his shot deflected off Kieran Burton, and Hazel tapped home from close range at the far post.

Darlington came close to adding to their lead, as Hazel scooped a shot over the bar, and a Lambert shot was deflected over by Glynn, then Will Thornton made a terrific tackle to halt Hazel when he burst through on goal.

Boro drew level on 37 minutes when home centre-back Jake Lawler was dispossessed by Glynn, who found himself one-one-one with keeper Taylor, and calmly slotted just inside the left-hand post, to register his first goal of the season.

Lambert fired wide for Darlington, before Boro went ahead two minutes before the interval with a superbly worked goal.

Glynn played a long diagonal ball to Kieran Weledji on the right flank, and he raced forward and played a low ball across the goalmouth, for Dom Tear to slam past Tommy Taylor.

Boro began the second half on top, with Lewis Maloney, Tear, Colville and Glynn dominating midfield, and Glynn laid off to Maloney, who let fly from 30 yards, but Tommy Taylor gathered the ball, then Colville back-heeled to Michael Coulson, who fired narrowly wide.

Darlington fought back, and Beck passed to Felix who shot just over, then Alex Purver fired wide of the left-hand post, and Felix blasted a shot that was saved at his near post by Joe Cracknell.

Lambert then shot wide, before they equalised when Lambert sent over a cross to the far post, and Mark Beck stooped to head past Cracknell.

The game was wide open, with both sides searching for a winner. Coulson raced down the left flank and passed inside to Colville, whose shot was blocked, then McGuckin also had an effort blocked by the home defence, while Gooda won a couple of towering headers at the back, and Thornton and Weledji got in some crunching tackles.

It was a cracking game, and Maloney and Coulson linked up to set up Colville, whose shot was blocked, then Weledji's header from a Colville corner was saved by Taylor, while Cracknell got down to save a low shot from Ben Hedley at the other end.

Boro's match winner arrived five minutes from time, when the outstanding Glynn threaded a through-ball to Coulson on the edge of the area.

The Boro skipper turned his marker Jake Lawler, who clipped his ankles, but Coulson still managed to place his shot past Taylor to send the travelling supporters wild with delight. Late on Hazel struck a 25-yard free kick into Boro's five man wall, as Boro held on for a hugely impressive win against a very good Darlington side.

8

DARLINGTON: Taylor, Dodds, Lawton, Suker, Hedley, Felix, Purver, Moke, Hazel, Lambert, Beck

BORO: Cracknell, Weledji, Burton, Maloney, Thornton, Gooda, Colville, Tear (Jackson 75), Coulson (Wiles 89), Glynn, Greenfield (McGuckin 68)

REFEREE: Stuart Morland

GOALS: DARLINGTON- Jacob Hazel 15, Mark Beck 67

BORO: Kieran Glynn 37, Dom Tear 43, Michael Coulson 85

YELLOW CARDS: DARLINGTON- Daniel Dodds, Jassem Suker

BORO: Danny Greenfield, Kieran Glynn, Michael Coulson

BORO MAN OF MATCH: Kieran Glynn

ATTENDANCE: 3,059 (589 away)