Darlington RA Under 23’s

It’s a Semi

Darlington RA 23’s sponsored by Industro Engineering Services came out on top in a fiercely fought Quater final v Roundhill.

It was always going to be a difficult game as both teams had manfully drawn the previous game a few weeks earlier 2-2.

RA were the better team in the first 20 minutes but never really created and chances up until Brent Hogan was brought down in the Roundhill box with the ref well position to award a spot kick. Brent stepped up and smashed the ball about 100 yards above the goal and took out one the satellites orbiting the earth! This seemed to spur Roundhill and they took control of the game without really threatening.

The 2nd half was a bit of an arm wrestle with a midfield battle with both teams giving no quarter. Roundhill took the lead after 60 minutes with an unfortunate deflection from a free kick trickling into the goal off the defenders backside (no names as it was as unfortunate as it was embarrassing)

RA rallied and were rewarded an equaliser when left back Kieran Harland shot from an acute angle the ball hitting the post and Ben Jackson guiding the loose ball in off his knee! RA were soon in front when staring a counter attack from his own half Alex Carter racing through the pitch like a galloping thoroughbred before coolly lobbing the keeper from the edge of the box.

The last five minutes was “strange” RA trying to run down the clock in the corners but not too successfully, Roundhill counter attacking and pulling off a great dive that even Tom Daly would struggle to replicate before forcing a series of corners that RA repelled excellently.

A hard fought game that could go either way but a semi-final awaits for a young, newly formed team who are getting better by the week. Great performance from all the players! Well done lads, you deserved it…

Not the best of games today, both teams struggled with the extremely long grass and a bobbly pitch which certainly tested your touch.

Game played in the right manner, a few tasty tackles and a couple of really good goals! Looking forward to the cup clash, should be a belter!!

Roundhill 2 RA 23’s 2

Darlington RA 2 - 3 Redcar CF
Lads played some great football and on the end of an unfair result. We go again next week 🚂

GOALSCORERS⚽️
Jamo ⚽️
Wheldon ⚽️

Thanks to Industro Solutions our season sponsor 👏

Darlington RA U23’s 2 - 4 Wynyard Village

Lads unlucky today with a very depleted team!
We go again and put things back on track next Sunday 🚂

Goals scorers ⚽️
Brent ⚽️
Jamo ⚽️

Next Fixture for the RA U23s - AWAY at Wynyard Village FC
Venue : HIGH GRANGE AVENUE, BILLINGHAM,TS23 3EU
Time 10:30 kick off ⚽️
Industro Solutions
Manjaros Langbaurgh League
Darlington Railway Athletic Sports & Social Club 🚂

RA Under 21’s🚂 3 - 3 Stockton Penny Black FC
Cracking game of football today over at the RA in Darlington for the neutral fan! ⚽️

Goal scorers ⚽️
Hutch ⚽️
Jamie Sung ⚽️
Oakley ⚽️
🚂

2 very committed teams played out a commendable 3-3 draw. Both teams were excellent on the day and the result could have gone either way but the draw was probably a fair result.

Many thanks to the Penny Black for making it such a classic encounter with both teams playing in the correct manner.

Today was all about the football and football was defiantly the winner!!

📢 **Calling All Football Fans!** ⚽
⚽️ WERE BACK HOME 2025⚽️
The lads are back in action this Sunday after a great win in cup last Sunday & hoping to stick to winning ways against STOCKTON PENNY BLACK FC, Why not come down and support the boys ⚽️
🚂

🗓 Date: Sunday (02/02/2025)
🕒 Kickoff: 10:30am
📍 Location: Darlington RA

Manjaros Langbaurgh League
Darlington Railway Athletic Sports & Social
Team sponsor: Industro Solutions👏

RA back to winning ways & into the next round of the cup after a few weeks off from football, lads were outstanding today coming back from 2-0 down
Goal scorers ⚽️
Brent ⚽️⚽️
Oakley ⚽️⚽️
🚂

Darlington RA Under-23s: Half-Season Review

The journey of Darlington RA Under-23s this season would not have been possible without the unwavering support of our kit sponsor, Industro Solutions, and our parent club, Darlington RA. Their continued backing has been invaluable, and we deeply appreciate their faith in the team and its coaches. We hope our performances and commitment on and off the pitch have gone some way toward repaying their support.

As expected for a newly formed team, the first half of the season presented challenges. From adjusting to the physicality of the league and early Sunday morning kickoffs to keeping players motivated, it has been a steep learning curve. Despite this, the team's determination has shone through.

When we started just three weeks before the season kicked off, only a handful of players attended the first training session. There were moments of doubt, but we persevered, and the response has been remarkable. By Christmas, we now have a squad of 30 registered players. While not all have stayed the course due to injuries, work, or family commitments, we've maintained a strong core group of around nine players who have featured in every match. This consistency has been crucial to our progress.

At the season's outset, our primary goal was modest: a mid-table finish. However, we set a higher standard for how we wanted to play. Rather than just being another Sunday league side, our focus has been on playing football the right way—keeping the ball on the ground, passing from the back, and delivering an attractive brand of football. More importantly, we view this team as a pathway to the Reserve Team and ultimately the First Team.

Development has been our watchword. With the guidance of senior players, the younger members of the squad have been encouraged to make mistakes, learn, and grow. It's not just about results—it's about creating a platform where these players can develop individually and as part of a high-performing team.

Reflecting on the season so far, we've had our fair share of ups and downs: impressive wins, tough losses, great performances, and more than a few bruising encounters. Yet, every challenge has been met with resilience, and every setback has been treated as a learning opportunity.

As we head into the second half of the season, we can take pride in what we've achieved in such a short time. This foundation provides a springboard to continue growing as individuals and as a team. A heartfelt thank-you goes out to every player who has contributed, no matter how long or short their time with us. It's been an absolute pleasure, and I hope you've all enjoyed the ride as much as I have.

Here's to continued progress and success in the months ahead!

Game of 2 half’s today against a very good New Maske team. We started slowly and went behind after a couple of minutes through a penalty. Fair play to the lads as we got going and pulled one back as Brent thumped in an equaliser from the spot. 2 great goals from ginge and Jamie (not to be confused as the same person) put us in control.

Marske had the better of the second half and were unlucky not to come away with a share of the spoils. FT 3-2

A couple of mentions to lads on thier debut especially Jamie up top who gave us a much needed outlet…

Now for a couple of weeks off, time to recharge and go again in January.

Well done lads!!!! 🚂

📢 **Calling All Football Fans!** ⚽
⚽️ WERE BACK HOME ⚽️
The lads are back in action this Sunday after a 2 week break & hoping to return to winning ways against NEW MARSKE SPORTS CLUB FC, Why not come down and support the boys ⚽️
🚂

🗓 Date: Sunday (15/12/2024)
🕒 Kickoff: 10:30am
📍 Location: Darlington RA

Manjaros Langbaurgh League
Darlington Railway Athletic Sports & Social Club
Team sponsor: Industro Solutions 👏