DARLINGTON conceded three goals in a poor second half at the Beehive as they lost 4-2 to Harborough.
Quakers turned the game around from a goal down in the first half to put them in control at the interval, but their fragile defence leaked three times after the break, the last two goals coming in the closing minutes. Manager Steve Watson said his players panicked in the second half against the newcomers, who have come from step seven in the non-league system to step two in just 16 years.
“It’s really difficult to explain why we went into our shells so much and panicked with the ball, slashing at things and not going through the thirds that we did in the first half,” said Watson.
“We had composure in the first half, we got down the sides but for some reason in the second half, we let panic set in.
“You can get technical messages on the field, you can get switches in system on to the field, but it’s difficult to install that composure we had in the first half, to the players.
“It’s tough because we’ve lost four big players. We wouldn’t have played Toby Lees for half-an-hour, but our hand was forced. We would liked to have integrated the players who have come in a little more slowly.
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“I’ve told the dressing room that if you want to play for a team like Darlo, then you’ve got to puff out your chest and rise to the challenge. It’s going to be incredibly hard against Macclesfield, in our next game and the players are going to have to be really bold and brave.”
Amaru Smith, who had another good game on the left, nearly scored in the first minute, but he side-footed a lay-off from Mark Beck over the bar, then Beck mishit another good chance wide.
Harborough, who have only been in existence for 16 years, took the lead with their first serious attack when former Middlesbrough striker Britt Assombalonga was given far too much time to turn and chip a good ball through for Connor Kennedy to drive past the helpless Bobby Jones.
There were plenty of chances for both sides after that, with Dylan Stephenson missing the best opportunity for Quakers, but the former Newcastle player made up for that on 35 minutes when Smith put Ben Hedley behind the back of the defence, and the full-back pulled the ball back perfectly for him to turn home.
Three minutes later, they were in front when Tom Henson made a good run and set up Paddy McLaughlin to curl a delightful right-foot shot into the top corner for his third goal of the season.
But Quakers lost their advantage soon after half time when the defence could only clear a free kick as far as Assombalonga , who had time to pick his spot with a right foot shot across Jones into the net.
Quakers had to take off Scott Barrow, who suffered a head injury and replace him with Lees, then Beck suffered a cut from a clash of heads.
Darlington looked as if they were more likely to score the winner, but they were caught on the break with a minute left when Michael Jacobs tucked the ball away after Quakers didn’t clear Callum Powell’s cross.
And Harborough finished the game off when they counter attacked again, and Powell beat Jones from 12 yards.
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