Darlington were well beaten at Blackwell Meadows, as League Two Harrogate Town showed their quality in a 5-1 win.

The Football League side, who were in the same league as Quakers just four years ago, took the lead with a ninth minute free kick, Simon Power curling beyond the defensive wall from 30 yards and past goalkeeper Tommy Taylor.

Quakers could have gone further behind when Danilo Orsi pounced on a wayward Darlington throw in, and from just inside the penalty area lifted his effort over the top.

The home side slowly got more into the game and Harrogate keeper Mark Oxley just managed to punch away a left-wing cross by George Smith before Luke Charman could get to it.

Simon Weaver’s side went 2-0 up at the start of the second half with a header by Lloyd Kerry after Taylor had saved Orsi’s effort, but Will Hatfield pulled a goal back at the other end with a low shot.

Harrogate exposed Quakers again on 52 minutes with another header to make it 3-1, this time by Connor Hall, and after Charman limped off, Jack Muldoon headed another for the visitors for 4-1.

The visitors scored their fourth headed goal of the night on 69 minutes, this time Aaron Martin heading a right-wing cross powerfully past Taylor.

Quakers gave sub outings to trialist Liam Ravenhill, son of former Darlington player Ricky, and striker Andrew Nelson, who had a spell on loan at Quakers from Sunderland three years ago and left Torquay at the end of last season.

Luke Armstrong, son of Darlington manager Alun, came off the bench in the closing stages for Harrogate.

Quakers’ next friendly is on Sunday against a Middlesbrough youth team at Blackwell (1pm).

Darlington: Taylor, Hedley (Nelson 80), Beeden, Storey, Smith (Griffiths 80), Wheatley, Purver (Ravenhill 69), Rivers (Mondal 58), Hatfield, Dos Santos. Subs (not used): Martin, Hope, Gilchrist, Armstrong, Winstanley, Woodhouse

Harrogate Town: Oxley, Fallowfield (Burrell 60), Page (Thomson 60), Falkingham (Sheron 60), Smith, Martin (Armstrong 72), Orsi, Kerry, Muldoon, Hall, Power. Subs (not used): Cracknell, McArdle