A MIXTURE of Darlington first-teamers and academy players won 3-1 in the Durham Challenge Cup at Esh Winning.

They took the lead in just the third minute, when Harvey Saunders got away from his marker and turned in a right wing corner.

Quakers stayed on top after that and scored the second on 20 minutes, a powerful left-foot shot by Alex Henshall going into the bottom left hand corner from the edge of the box.

Esh showed plenty of spirit, and pulled a goal back with an excellent volley by Max Stoker from a left wing cross, but just on half time Mitchell Glover restored Quakers’ two-goal cushion when his low left wing corner deceived everybody and went into the net.

Jonny Burn, Liam Hughes and Dave Syers also played in the match.

Darlington: Hall, Alderson, Banks, Hughes, J Burn, Vaulks, Lingthep, Glover, Saunders, Syers, Henshall. Subs: A Burn, Dunn, Abdoulaye, Morrison