DARLINGTON produced a pleasing performance in their friendly win at Newton Aycliffe last night.

A strong starting XI dominated the first 20 minutes, and could have been more than two goals up.

Arran Wearmouth forced a good save out of the Aycliffe goalkeeper, James Winter, after he cut in from the right hand side early on, and Mark Beck also hit the bar from close range.

Quakers took the lead on 11 minutes when David Syers found the bottom corner of the net with a good shot from just inside the area, and it was 2-0 on 22 minutes when Beck nodded down a cross-field ball by Wearmouth for Josh Gillies to latch on to and knock past the keeper.

Aycliffe pulled a goal back though on 27 minutes when Craig Hutchinson hooked the ball back over his shoulder from the corner of the six yard box, and the ball looped over keeper Adam Bartlett into the net.

Quakers made it 3-1 a few minutes before half time when a trialist, who has Football League experience with Blackpool and Shrewsbury, neatly controlled a pass from Syers, stepped inside, and beat the keeper at his right hand post.

On the hour, Beck scored the fourth with a powerful header from a right wing cross, and then teenage sub Joe Smith neatly set up Syers for the fifth.

Manager Martin Gray said: “I was very pleased with the first half performance. The players passed the ball around well and created a few chances.”