DARLINGTON’S first game with Tommy Wright at the helm was a 3-1 defeat to Blyth Spartans, despite leading at the break.

They took the lead through Dave Syers in a first-half in which Quakers played well and there was little sign of what was to come in the second period.

However, Alun Armstrong’s side scored two goals at the beginning of the second period from which point there was no coming back for Darlington, who conceded against in the closing stages.

They made a promising start, coping well in the blustery conditions and looking to play the passing football which Wright has promised.

He picked an unchanged starting XI, though Josh Gillies took corners rather than Terry Galbraith, and the first chance of the game saw Darlington’s Dom Collins head over after meeting a Gillies set-piece.

Blyth’s first chance of note started with Robbie Dale playing in Ian Watson, before striker Adam Wrightson fire over a cross that Adam Bartlett palmed away.

Wrightson was selected as leading scorer Dan Maguire was injured, a blow for Blyth, who included four former Quakers: Peter Jameson, Andrew Cartwright, Ian Watson and Dale Hopson.

There was a moment of alarm for Darlington inside their penalty area, notably when Tom Portas and Leon Scott both dived in to block from Wrightson after Dale had delivered a ball from the left.

On the whole Darlington looked comfortable in defence, despite playing into a strong wind, with midfielders Dave Syers and Gillies both putting a shift in to help out at the back.

The pair combined to put Quakers ahead on 30 minutes. Blyth failed to clear the corner, the ball falling to Syers whose fine first touch gave him the opportunity to smash the ball beyond Jameson.

Rivers had moments when he threatened, the nimble winger using his pace to take the ball beyond Scott before a fantastic tackle by Terry Galbraith took the ball off Rivers’ feet.

Syers saw a half-volley go over the bar after a poor defensive header fell to him when Blyth failed to sufficiently deal with a Portas cross.

A crucial change for Darlington came at half-time when Kevin Burgess replaced Collins, who had suffered an injury just before the break.

It was not long before Blyth equalised, Wrightson running on to a through-ball by Rivers and going one-on-one with Bartlett, the shot going in off the far post.

There was a strong penalty shout from Blyth when Dale had a shot at point-blank range which Scott may have used a hand to block, but soon Blyth led 2-1.

After a free-kick conceded by Scott, Hopson delivered into the area, Darlington did not clear, Dale crossed the ball back in with a lovely piece of skill for Reid to head home almost on the goal-line.

The goal sparked an intense period, the game swiftly moving from end to end with chances both sides.

There was a huge save by Jameson. Nathan Cartman rolled the ball across for Gillies who hit it first time, the goalkeeper quick off his line to block, and Jameson was at it again seconds later.

Galbraith’s free-kick found Syers who had escaped Reid’s attention, but Jameson blocked the shot at close-range.

Dale was booked for diving, the referee deeming the winger to have chosen to tumble when taking the ball past Liam Marrs.

Reid missed a sitter when Hopson whipped a ball into the near post, Reid off-target from inside the six-yard box, but it was all over on 81 minutes when Dale made it 3-1.

Burgess was caught for pace, leaving Dale to steam in behind and lash high into the net.

Goals: Syers (30, 0-1); Wrightson (48, 1-1), Reid (57, 2-1), Dale (81, 3-1)

Bookings: Scott (56, foul); Buddle (59, foul), Dale (68, simulation); Thompson (69, foul)

Referee: Paul Brown

Attendance: 1,554 (503 Darlington fans)

Blyth Spartans (4-2-3-1): Jameson; Cartwright, Buddle, Hutchinson, I Watson; Rivers, Reid; McTiernan, Hopson (Mullen 90), Dale (McGalde 86); Wrightson (Rutherford 86). Subs (not used): MacDonald (gk), Liddle

Darlington (4-5-1): Bartlett; Marrs, Collins (Burgess 46), Galbraith, Scott; Thompson, Syers (Caton 80), Turnbull, Portas, Gillies (Saunders 73); Cartman. Subs (not used): Wilczynski (gk), Burgess, Wheatley