Darlington Women won their second successive away game when they won 6-1 at Newton Aycliffe on Sunday.

Chloe Ryan scored a great hat trick, with Nicole Graham, Grace Taylor and Emily Taylor getting the others.

Manager Shaun MacKenzie was delighted with the victory, and said; “It was another good performance on a difficult pitch. Although the surface wasn’t the best to say the least, the girls managed to keep the ball down and played some lovely football.

“We started with a great tempo and were 2-0 up within the first 10 minutes and deservedly so. We continued to create chances but then the tempo dropped after around 20 minutes and we let Aycliffe get back in the game. We were standing off and a great goal got them back to 2-1. We needed the third goal before half time and after another great delivery from Hattie Raine from a corner, Grace Taylor was on target at the front post to head home. I was really happy for Grace to get her goal as she worked tirelessly last week and done well again today, she deserved her goal.’ 

“I thought second half we were much more composed and calmer on the ball. We continued to play some nice passing sequences and the patterns of play were good. We created plenty more chances and scored another three goals. I’ve stopped counting the amount of times Chloe Ryan has scored a hat-trick as it’s just become the norm.

“The goals have to be created too and although Hattie didn’t get on the scoresheet today, she was involved in a lot of the goals and got four assists. Plenty of individual standouts all over the pitch, Ava solid at the back and Aimee instrumental in midfield. 

“We’ve got to keep the momentum going now and go and get a result at Leam away next week which is always a difficult place to go.”

Here’s the match report from Chris Barrett 

From the off, Darlington pushed hard and were looking to pressurise the Aycliffe defence to get an early foothold in the game. 

The first chance came Darlington’s way when a corner from Hattie Raine was played deep into the box and it was met by Millie Garnett who struck at goal but it was blocked in the 6-yard box. It wasn’t long before Darlington took the lead as after 6 minutes Raine made a run down the right and cut back inside to evade the defender, she then laid the ball back to Nicole Graham who calmly controlled the ball and slotted it into the net for 1-0. Aycliffe were nearly back in it immediately with a break through the middle but the shot from distance was held well by Hannah Billingham. 

Only a couple of minutes later, after some composed play from the back, Ava Pearson got her head up and played a good ball through the middle which was knocked on by Grace Taylor to Chloe Ryan who set herself and hit a great strike into the net to double the Darlington lead and net her 60th goal for the club.

Just after the quarter hour mark Aycliffe were in bursting through the middle and it took good pressure from Lou Brown and a strong recovery run from Aimee Dagnall to force the shot wide.  After 22 minutes Aycliffe got a goal back when there was not enough pressure put on to win the ball down the left and the striker cut in and from distance hit a fantastic strike over Billingham’s head. 

Darlington continued to create chances with Lou Brown dropping a deep free kick on the edge of the 6-yard box that just evaded a touch and another good ball from Pearson into Raine who made a good run but the low shot was well saved and pushed out for a corner. From the resulting corner Raine took it and whipped it into the front post to be met by the brave Grace Taylor who headed it in to give Darlington a two-goal cushion going into the break.

Darlington came out strong again in the second half with good build up play from Emma Carter and Dagnall setting Lily Wilkinson away to break inside and strike just over the crossbar. On the 49th minute Raine crossed the ball into the danger area and the keeper could not claim the ball over Wilkinson and it was only partly cleared to Chloe Ryan who made no mistake smashing the ball in for the fourth goal and her second of the game.

The fifth goal came on the 72nd minute when Hattie Raine had a shot on goal, which was blocked by the defender, which then bounced back of Raine’s head to the feet of Ryan who again struck from distance and it was just out of reach for the keeper who couldn’t hold on to it to get her hat-trick and make the score 5-1.

After Emma Carter coming off as a precaution, it meant a reshuffle at the back with Chloe Bright moving over to the left, who made a good run up the pitch from half way cutting into the middle of the pitch for a combination with Katie Bragg and Bright shot but it was just over the bar. 

The sixth and final goal came from a free kick wide on the right-hand side. It was played deep across the box by Hattie Raine for Emily Taylor to calmly take down and then smash the ball past the keeper to seal the win. 

Darlington played some good football on a difficult pitch and there were again another number of strong performances all over the pitch with a hat trick for Chloe Ryan and four assists for Hattie Raine. However, player of the match was awarded to Ava Pearson with a steady presence at the back but also some excellent incisive through balls opening up the game. Darlington will be hoping to continue this improved form for a third away trip in a row to Gateshead Leam Rangers next week.