Billingham Town 0 Darlington 3.

DEAN WINDASS grabbed two stunning goals at Bedford Terrace last night on his first appearance in a Quakers shirt.

But while a superbly executed overhead kick and sublime 20-yard free-kick by the 40-year-old proved enough to earn Darlington an early preseason victory, there was another performance worthy of note.

Four years after David Hodgson allowed him to join York, Mark Convery was back in a black and white shirt last night in a bid to earn a contract from manager Colin Todd.

And the 28-year-old, released by Cambridge in the summer, having spent part of last season on loan at Weybridge, turned in a display that may have gone a long way to earning him a deal after spending the last week on trial.

“We have not agreed anything but he wants to be part of something and we will address that as we go along,”

said Todd.

The Darlington manager was keen not to concentrate on any individual display but conceded that Convery “had impressed”.

But given everything that has gone on at Darlington in recent months, with the club only now planning for life after administration, Todd is quite right to focus on spirit building and improving fitness levels.

“The most important thing is that we gel as a team,” said Todd.

“What we are trying to do on the training ground is what you have seen here tonight. We have another four weeks to build up to the first game and we will have more and bigger tests.

“Fitness levels are important.

There’s a lot of work to be done. But the one thing I will say is that they are taking things on board.”

Convery, playing right midfield in the first half, was Darlington’s main outlet against Northern League side Billingham Town.

But it was not until Windass, with his back to goal, flicked the ball over his head and into the far corner that Darlington took the lead eight minutes from time.

Windass, Todd’s assistant manager, then curled in a terrific free-kick, after Gary Smith had been fouled on the edge of the area, to make it two three minutes later.

There were late chances for Billingham’s John Alexander and Andy Burton to pull one back, but striker Lee Thorpe, recruited from Rochdale, completed the victory in the last minute with a tap-in from close range.

Teams

BILLINGHAM (4-4-2): Moody; Boynton, Thompson (Osmond 75), Dalton (Burton 46), Moore; Stewart, Wray, Clarke, Howey (Whensley 46); Alexander, Ryan (Gaffney 46).

DARLINGTON (4-4-2): Knight (Liversedge 60); Starosta, Plummer, Miller, James; Convery, Lumsdon (Grey 46), G Smith, J Smith (Riley 46); Windass (Bennett 46), Thorpe.