Alun Armstrong was largely pleased with his Darlington team’s performance against Newcastle United under-23s today, their first friendly of note this summer.

The season starts in just three weeks’ time, but Quakers have seen a number of friendly fixtures postponed due to players and staff having to isolate.

They did have a behind-closed-doors match at Sheffield United, but academy players were needed to boost numbers, such were Quakers’ Covid issues.

This afternoon, then, at Blackwell Meadows saw almost all of new-look Quakers’ nine summer signings given a run-out in a 3-1 defeat, Newcastle adding polish to the scoreline with two late goals.

It was the first time Darlington supporters been at Blackwell since March 2020, and Armstrong said: “The first ten minutes there were a few nerves in there because the new lads hadn’t played together before and they’d never played in front of our fans before. But after half an hour we were looking really good.

“There was a little lapse in concentration for their first goal, which you’re going to get in pre-season. But I’m really pleased with 70 minutes of the game.

“Once we got to grips with it, we had them on the backfoot for most of the first half and for some of the second half.

“We could have scored more goals, that was a frustration, but it’ll come, that was just rustiness.”

Newcastle took the lead through Tom Allan, who last night made an appearance as a substitute for the first team against Doncaster Rovers. He struck shortly before half-time against Quakers after a strong run and finish from 18 yards.

Towering centre-back Lexus Beeden, one of five Darlington signings in the starting XI, equalised nine minutes after half-time when bundling the ball home following a Will Hatfield free-kick.

As well as Beeden, other new Quakers on the pitch at kick-off were Tommy Taylor, Joey Hope, Alex Purver and Junior Mondal.

Newcastle fielded a different starting XI for each half, while Darlington made a series of substitutions during the second period, among them being new recruits George Smith and Kevin Dos Santos.

The contest ended with the young Magpies scoring twice more, Dylan Stephenson scoring them both. His first came after a Rosaire Longelo pass, and his second when slotting through the legs of Quakers’ substitute goalkeeper Lucas Martin.

Armstrong added: “The lads gelled together quite well in midfield, the rotation was good.

“If we’re playing a 4-3-3, those three complement each other very well. They’ve got energy, they’re all tenacious, they’re good with the ball and they can each play in the three different roles there.

“It was the first game for Junior, Alex, Will and Lexus, Luke played 20 minutes against Sheffield United. So I’m really pleased how it went as it was the first game for so many of them.”

Quakers are at home to Harrogate Town on Tuesday.

Darlington: Taylor, Hedley, Storey, Beeden, Hope, Wheatley, Purver, Rivers, Hatfield, Mondal, Charman. Subs: Martin, Winstanley, Woodhouse, Smith, Dos Santos, Armstrong

Newcastle United under-23s (first half): Brown, Oliver, Bondswell, Savage, McEntee, Brookwell, de Bolle, Allan, Ferguson, Flaherty, Wilson

Newcastle United under-23s (second half): Thompson, Scott, Cross, Wiggett, Longelo, Stephenson, Carlyon, Stewart, Young, White, Turner-Cooke