Darlaston playing their first away game for a month traveling to League leaders Team Dudley in a top of the table six-pointer hoping to write the wrongs of last weeks first loss of the season against Sikh Hunters.

The management duo of Parkes and Moore were forced into five changes through availability and injuries welcoming back the returning centre half partnership of Martin Stanton and Captain Ryan McAllister. Mark Swann changing his defensive role for a more attacking one and Noah Diallo was promoted from the bench along with David Richards and Jarrod Grant.

The game was basically decided in the first 2 minutes of each half with the home side scoring negating anything that was said in Darlaston’s changing room before the game and at half-time.

Just over a minute gone into the game Darlaston went a goal behind. A misplaced clearance from Ryan Jones which found Tyrone Clarke in space inside the 18-yard area, and he had time to pick his spot to beat keeper Ryan Pratt. Darlaston were always now going to be chasing the game.

The early goal gave the home side a tremendous boost given the importance of the game. Team Dudley were playing football as it should be played, on the deck, keeping possession and looking dangerous going forward. Darlaston were chasing shadows for a while. Chances were created for Tyrone Clarke, the impressive James Hill, Alex Pinches and Val Lungu. Darlaston were struggling to muster any efforts on goal, tame efforts from Swann from the left-hand side and Alex Solomon from distance were the only efforts on goal in the first half.

Team Dudley doubled their lead in the 37th minute. An Alex Pinches corner was met with a Mark Swann Clearing header, which found Lungu in acres of space on the edge of the box, his well struck shot found its way through a crowd of players giving Ryan Pratt no chance of making a save. 2-0 to the League leaders.

Darlaston for the second week running couldn’t wait to get into the halftime break to reorganize and to hopefully give the fans something to cheer in the second half.
Before the game resumed Darlaston made their first substitution of the afternoon Danny Mayne replacing Jarrod Grant.

Team Dudley scored in the first minute of the second half. A needless free kick was given away with a silly push 20 yards out. Up stepped Team Dudley skipper James Hill to curl a right foot shot around the wall and finding the net. Keeper Pratt will be a little disappointed not to keep the effort out. Team Dudley now had an unassailable lead
Whatever the management duo of Parkes and Moore said at half time was forgotten, a crazy start to the second half. Darlaston produced a much better second half performance than in the first. At least they carried some threat going forward, but any momentum the viostors built up was lost be conceding too many silly needless free kicks.

Team Dudley seemed to be able to attack at will in the second half looking dangerous all of the time. Mark Swann had a smart header saved by Team Dudley Keith Rodgers and a Danny Mayne snapshot was also dealt with well by the home keeper. In the 61st minute Darlaston scored and looked like they may get back into the game. Substitute Jamie Holder heading in a Noah Diallo corner.

Martin Stanton entered the referee's notebook in the 67th minute contesting the award of a corner to the home side. From the corner unmarked left back Nathan Jones who stole in at the far post headed home past Pratt 4-1 to Team Dudley.

In the 79th minute centre back Stanton collected his second booking of the game for a bad tackle on substitute Carrick Chaney laving referee Nick Grey no choice but to produce a red card sending off Stanton, leaving Darlaston to play 11 minutes with 10 men.

Darlaston scored a spectacular individual goal in the 88 minute a 40 yard sweetly struck Jamie Holder pass finding Danny Mayne in Team Dudley’s area, Mayne produced a right footed overhead kick across the home keeper to give Darlaston some respectability at 4 -2.
The referee blew the whistle shortly afterwards and once again Darlaston find themselves producing yet another poor performance and suffering their second loss of the season to the League leaders, they deserved nothing less.

Next week Darlaston return to The Paycare Ground to take on neighbours Willenhall Town in a local derby and the supporters and management will be looking for a much-improved performance with a positive performance. Kick-off is as usual at 3 p.m.