Kieran Weledji earns 1-0 home win for Scarborough Athletic on emotional afternoon
Boro ended their home campaign with a 1-0 Easter Monday win against Darlington, with local MP Alison Hume present to lend her support to the club as they fight to sort out the pitch problems at the Sports Village.
It was an emotional afternoon, with fans unsure of the club’s immediate future, but a thrilling second-half performance secured the win for Jono Greening’s side, writes Steve Adamson.
Harry Green played his 100th competitive game, but Dom Tear missed his first game of the season as he rested a knock picked up at Spennymoor on Good Friday.
The visitors included debutant 19-year-old goalkeeper Shea Connor, drafted in from Middlesbrough U21s, and shaded possession in an evenly fought first half.
Jack Waldron tackled Jack Maskell as he burst into the box, Will McGowan headed across the area towards Cedric Main who volleyed wide, and Mackenzie Maltby hooked clear when Matt Cornish crossed into the goalmouth.
In Boro attacks, the impressive Sam Reed cut in from the right and fired wide and Harry Green intercepted a sloppy back pass but his shot was blocked by Toby Lees.
Boro centre-backs Maltby and skipper Will Thornton were both excellent, winning all the high balls. Thornton tackled Maskell on the edge of the box, then a Scott Barrow cross was headed into the arms of Boro keeper Ryan Whitley by Maskell.
Darlo had two free-kicks just outside the box, the first fired straight at Whitley by Barrow, then McGowan beat the wall, but hit the top of the bar. Boro created two chances just before the interval, Reed teed up Luca Colville, who fired over, then Green shot at the keeper.
Boro were the better side for much of the second half, with ex-Darlo player Alex Purver dictating the midfield. A Kieran Weledji cross was headed inches over by Colville, a Colville shot was blocked by Barrow, and keeper Connor dived to push clear a Richie Bennett strike.
The visitors claimed a penalty when Main went down under a Thornton challenge in the area, but the ref brandished a yellow card for simulation. A Thornton header from a Purver corner to the back post was blocked on the line by Ben Hedley, then Bennett fired into the arms of Connor. Darlo went close when Maskell headed a Kallum Griffiths cross just over, then Jack Waldron dinked a shot wide for Boro.
A clash between Thornton and Hazeem Bakre resulted in a red card for the Darlington substitute for violent conduct, and Boro took the lead two minutes later, as Waldron crossed from the left and Weledji guided his shot inside the bottom right corner from the six-yard line.
A terrific move involving Colville, Alex Wiles and Green ended with Wiles’ shot being held by the keeper. The visitors looked for a late leveller, Will Hatfield drove a free-kick into the Boro wall, McGowan firing the rebound into the solid wall, and a McGowan cross was headed over by Griffiths as Boro held on for three points.
BORO - Whitley, Weledji, Waldron, Maltby, Thornton(c), Purver, Reed, Maloney (Wiles 46), Bennett, Green, Colville, unused subs - Bancroft, Duckworth, Tear, Marshall
DARLINGTON - Connor, Hedley, Barrow (c), Lees, Forbes, Adams (Griffiths 60), Cornish (Hatfield 60), McGowan, Main, Maskell (Salkeld 82), Hetherington (Bakre 60), unused sub - Platt
REFEREE - Kavan Hurn
BORO GOAL - Kieran Weledji 76
GOAL ATTEMPTS - BORO 12 (6 on target) DARLINGTON 9 (3 on target)
CORNERS - BORO 5 DARLINGTON 3
OFFSIDES - BORO 2 DARLINGTON 1
RED CARD - Hazeem Bakre (Darlington) 74 mins
YELLOW CARD - Cedric Main (Darlington)
BORO MAN OF MATCH - Will Thornton
ATTENDANCE - 2,115 (384 away)