DARLINGTON completed their pre-season preparations with a 3-2 win over Barnsley’s reserves.

Played behind closed doors at Quakers’ training base in Peterlee, this week’s new signings Mark Beck and Josh Gillies were both on target.

They helped give Darlington a 3-0 half-time, the other strike being an own goal netted by Barnsley, whose first team were in action at Peterborough United today.

The Tykes fought back to score twice after the break during a match in which most of Martin Gray’s first-team squad got a run-out in final Quakers’ final friendly.

They start their Vanarama National League North season with at Altrincham on Saturday, August 6.

*Sunday sees the class of '96 reunited when members of Darlington’s first Wembley team get back together for a charity match.

It is 20 years since the Sean Gregan, Gary Bannister, Robbie Painter and co. finished fifth in Division Three and walked out Wembley in the play-off final against Plymouth Argyle. Despite the 1-0 defeat the season is remembered fondly by fans.

It began with David Hodgson and Jim Platt named as joint directors of coaching, Matty Appleby was at his best, Robbie Blake burst onto the scene and diminutive Portuguese winger Pedro Paulo excited Feethams albeit briefly at the beginning of the season.

The team lost only one of their final 20 league matches, a run which included a fantastic 4-0 win over promotion rivals Bury at the season’s end, and overcame Hereford United in the play-off semi-finals, winning each leg 2-1, before facing Neil Warnock’s Pilgrims under the Twin Towers.

The Darlington '96 team will play against a select Quakers XI on Sunday at Northallerton Town, kick-off 2pm.

Admission is £5 adults, £2.50 children with proceeds split 50/50 between the Back To Darlo fund and the Percey Hedley Foundation, a school in Newcastle for disabled children.