Darlington Spraire Lads Mens

Darlington Spraire lads are pleased to announce that Pascoe Building & roofing contractors have come onboard for the season ahead. Head honcho Daniel Pascoe himself had committed to the deal prior to his return to Grey Horse and appreciate sticking to it. A popular figure amongst the Darlington Sunday League Pascoe is usually found creating and Building projects to many clients. We will carry the logo on our shirts and keep you up to date with any social media of his fine work here.

Darlington Spraire Lads are proud to announce that our shirt sponsor for the season is none other than Physique Health Club
Known to many across the town, Deith and his team have put their faith in linking up with the team this season. Please stay tuned for further posts of activities with the squad and shenanigans as part of the deal has involved manager Jay Burgess re-signing to his old gym. We wish everyone involved good luck

This weekend sees Spraire Lads travelling to Houghton-le-Spring to face Swinburne Maddison 2nd division side Dubmire F.C Fencehouses in the 1st round of the DCFA Consultiv Utilities County Cup. Can Spraire make anything from the cups this season? We start to find out this week. H'way the Spraire 🟡 ⚫️

Man of the match & Donkey of the day ladies and gentleman:

Joe Wilson
Martin Chambers

Bishop Auckland Manor 2 - 3 Darlington Spraire Lads

Lavelle's loft and Lyonette's lob secure Spraire's lift to the top of the league.

3 Mins - GOAL Flat start meant falling apart as Rossy takes an elbow to his lower back, folding over and allowing the Manor players to carry possession forward. A strike from the edge of the box into the corner of Joe wilson's net.

11 Mins - Still stuttering to get into first gear Spraire back off around the penalty area and a curling effort deflected off a flailing leg encourages Joe Wilson to dive to his right full stretch and palm it around the post.

16 Mins - First effort on goal for Spraire sees a free kick from Josh Andrassy just sail over the bar.

23 Mins - GOAL!! A bouncing ball claps off a Manor defenders arm. With it being in an unnatural position we earn a penalty. Up steps Josh Andrassy to make it 3 goals in 2 games as he slams it past the goalkeeper.

HT 1 - 1

Club Captain Mick Lavelle is substituted on to help secure the runners in the midfield

53 Mins - GOAL!! 8 Minutes later, only 2 touches before captain Mick Lavelle spots the goalkeeper off his line and in his own words "half cut from the night before I've never hit anything truer" sends the ball from the halfway line over the despairing keeper into the net. Early contender for goal of the season

60 Mins - A Manor corner is whipped in and a free header attempt the back deflects off Nick Stranks, Joe Wilson and onto the post before being gathered up by the goalkeeper.

71 Mins - Having been hooked unjustly at half time Kane Lyonette is brought back into the game and within a minute he's broken the defensive line and lobbed the goalkeeper. VINDICATION!

82 Mins - It's the traditional back to the walls defensive job for roughly 15 mins for Spraire. This instance sees the ball pinball around the box before a shot hits the net despite left back keeper wannabe Ben Rodker's best efforts.

FT BAM 2 - 3 DSL

M.O.T.M - Joe Wilson, shot stopping and command of his area today was on point. Even got himself an assist for the winner.

D.O.T.D - Martin Chambers, 5 minutes to go, attempts to become Johan Cruyff and turns in the box facing 3 opposition players and ends up more like Jordi Cruyff. See you in 2 weeks fella.

Next up is an away day in the County Cup for Spraire. Over to Houghton-le-Spring as we face Dubmire WMC

Next fixture for Spraire lads is the first away trip to returning side Bishop Auckland Manor FC this sunday. Fingers are crossed for another good performance and continue our positive start this season.
Come join us in Bish Vegas, H'Way the Spraire 🟡⚫️

If there was a hall of fame within Darlington Spraire Lads and Grassroots football in general then step forward birthday boy Joe Cocker. The clubs treasurer, former manager, youth coach to a few of the squad, dad to a couple, super sub striker, oldest appearance maker and goalscorer extraordinaire turns *redacted by request* today. Whilst he constantly tells us of his impending retirement he continues to lie and keep putting in the minutes on and off the pitch. All the best from the rest of the squad.

Darlington Spraire Lads 3 - 2 T.S Rangers

A season opener with it all. Goals, saves, penalties and a red card.

10 Mins - Spraire probably starting the stronger of the two teams almost costing themselves when a ball bouncing over the top sees Jordan Kneeshaw struggle to control it, battle for possession with the Rangers striker and brought down 25 yards out from goal. Referee blows his whistle and gives a yellow card to the Spraire defender, not known for this type of mistake.
12 Mins - GOAL From the free kick TS Rangers earn a corner which is hit into the 6 yard box and headed off one Rangers player into another and hits the net. Poor defending in there somewhere lads.
21 Mins - Despite controlling possession Spraire once again vulnerable to a counter attack sees an effort from Rangers Deflected off the blocking Nicky Stranks and over keeper Joe Wilson onto the crossbar for a hold your breath moment.
26 Mins - GOAL!! Mick Lavelle fighting to retain possession on the edge of the box manages to wiggle it to Josh Andrassy and he hits one from 20 yards into the corner of the net, keeper rooted to the spot.
29 Mins - GOAL!! Dec Stranks intercepts a terrible pass and lays Dan Stead a ball to whack arrow straight into the net from a similar distance. Chances finally paying off.
36 Mins - GOAL!! Josh Andrassy is back at it again hitting a 25 yard free kick into the bottom corner. Questions could be asked of the keeper failing to get a wall sorted but we will take it!
45 Mins - a counter attack see Kane Lyonette break the defensive line, run around the keeper and slot it.... wide! Just the wrong side of the post unfortunately. If the ground could eat him up.

HT 3 - 1

48 Mins - Its taken 3 minutes but another last ditch effort from Jordan Kneeshaw see him bring down his man (although referee admitted his mistake after blowing the whistle) leading to his 2nd yellow and sending off for the man who travelled this morning from Scarborough to play. Last to arrive, first to leave the field.
56 Mins - Quality challenge in the box from captain Mick Lavelle sees the referee blow for a penalty!! Upon speaking to both it turned out the trailing leg was the culprit and had caught the Rangers player.
57 Mins - SAVED!! Joe Wilson dives to his right and produces a strong hand to palm away the resulting penalty. I did say I would be nice to him. Well done Joe.
78 Mins - The ball finds Mick Lavelle on the edge of the Rangers penalty area and hits a lovely curling effort. Magnificent save onto the post from the Rangers keeper resulting in a corner.
83 Mins - GOAL Absolute calamity as Nick Stranks attempts to shield a ball back to Joe Wilson, who can't pick it up sees them collide, allowing the pressing attacker to wander past and hit the ball into an empty net.

FT 3-2

Hard working performance from Spraire and TS Rangers on opening day. Good luck to them on their first season and beyond and we will be seeing you again soon.

M.O.T.M - Josh Andrassy gave his all as ever and came up with two lovely finishes. Long sleeves superstition over yet?

D.O.T.D - Ben Rodker for using an out of date email address on his account from his college days meaning he couldnt get signed on for the game. Whopper.

Lovely little researched write up from this weekends opponents and league debutanats T. S Rangers CFC

A brief history lesson on Sundays opponents Darlington Spraire Lads Mens 🎓⭐️

Darlington Spraire Lads & Lasses FC is one of the longest-established grassroots football clubs in Darlington, with a history stretching back more than 30 years. The club began as an informal group of local children playing football in South Park before growing into a structured community club run almost entirely by volunteers.

The Darlington Spraire Lads & Lasses men’s team finished 5th in Division Two of the Macron Sports Hub Darlington Sunday League in the 2025–26 season.

Historically, DSL is closely associated with South Park, where the club was founded and where many of its youth teams trained and played for decades. A Sport England case study describes the club as having grown from children playing informally in South Park, using the park’s pitches and pavilion as its original home base.

The Spraire lads will become the first ever team TS Rangers will have faced in a competitive football match. During the opening weekend of the Darlington Macron Division 2 season.

We look forward to 10:30 this Sunday morning 🇬🇧🫡

The Don War Memorial Museum & Comunity hub CIC & Last post memorial Bar
C.P Embroidery & Print workwear
Teesside Elevators and Fabrications LTD
Barney’s Baby Bank
MA Painting & Decorating Services Darlington
T.P.M Services limited
JMAC Industrial & Access Group Ltd
Lpvisualz
Ry Matthews

The Bishop Auckland Heart Foundation Cup draw sees the Spraire travelling away to Peterlee & District First Division team East Durham Community FC. This game will be taking place the 4th October.

With all these miles being racked up this season manager Jay Burgess has started handing out travel sickness pills to his players.