Darlington FC Youth U12s 5 Cleveland Juniors 3

Promotion for the U12s

After last week’s top of table defeat but only Darlo’s second loss all season the team knew with three games to go they needed three points to guarantee promotion and secnd place!!

Darlo started with great attitude and effort from the first whistle looking to get these three points and secure the promotion spot and with constant pressure and desire it looked a matter of time till Darlo scored and it came in the 15th minute when the impressive Benjy Keating played winger Harry Dixon in who superbly shot across the keeper into the far corner 1-0.

Darlo kept the tempo up and with the organisation of Fynn, Cal Moncur, Jojo and Louie as well as Daz as a holding midfielder they never looked in trouble but at the other end always looked like scoring with Benjy creating for Josh, Jamo and Harry.

The second goal came after 20 minutes when a great pass from Josh sent speedy Jamo through and he slotted past the keeper and the third came in the 25th minute when fresh players were brought on as Jamie Diamond and Chrissy Walters came in up front and gave Darlo lots of pace and skill.

Callum Campbell came in at left back and once again listened and had a very solid game too on the left!! 3-0 when Chrissy held off the defender and smacked the ball past the keeper half time.

The lads now knew promotion was nearly complete but weren't happy to just sit on it they kept up the pressure with some great attacking football and made it 4-0 when Jamie Diamond was again played through by Keating and he always looked composed and shot under the keeper.

Then soon after it was 5-0 when a corner was bent in to the front post and somehow Diamond got in front of players and headed in from a tight angle.

Darlo created some other chances but shot wide but with 15 minutes to go and Darlo changing players around Cleveland to their credit scored two quick goals and then with five minutes left, got a third and then the Darlo team started to get nervous and wondered if they were going to blow the chance of going up!!

But as always this season they dug deep again and controlled the game for the last five minutes and at the final whistle won 5-3 and secured the three points and promotion that this set of lads deserved.

MoTM was Harry Dixon whose strike set Darlo on their way and always was a threat going forward.

Division 1 here we come great achievement for the lads in a very competitive league.