Under the charismatic leadership of Dave Clark, who transformed the fortunes of Darlaston Town last year in the MJPL under 16s league. Last year Dave oversaw an impressive rise of 50 places in the league for a top 15 finish. Dave has decided to test his young side in the Midland Floodlit league.

With a boisterous Cradley Town crowd and a team finishing second in the league last year, in this very league, the home side favourites were looking to get straight back into winning ways. Dave has really worked the Darlo boys hard pre season and it shows why, with this result by them. Dave has built a side with a tight defensive base meaning they can compete with everyone and anyone on their day. They did not disappoint their manager with their first foray in this league with a 3-1 away win. Come on you Darlo boys.

I don't think you can single a single player out, as all 11 and the subs which came on did their job to the letter to get this win.

The line up - the defensive unit of Ryan Garvey in goal, Harry Heathcote at right back, Elliot Clark and Dan Palmer in central defense and Harrison Lewis look formidable to say the least. Ryan, Dan and Elliot carried on from last season with confident assured and imperious performances tonight. Tyler Gould pulling the strings in a central midfield role tonight with Archie Bradley and William Cartwright alongside him breaking the play up made it difficult to break Darlo down. Archie Bradley's work rate is something to be admired, tireless all night long. Omari Peters and Jayden Dearn were on the wings providing guile and trickery and new signing the colossal Alfie Hill up front causing havoc this evening.

The game - First half Cradley missed several good scoring opportunities however against run of play Darlo centre forward Alfie Hill scored on thirty minutes with a wonderful individual goal to give Darlo a 1-0 half time lead. Alfie ran through from halfway line crashing the ball into the far corner of the net across the Cradley keeper. A well deserved goal for tirelessly working so hard upfront, caused Cradley all kinds of problems in the first half. Unfortunately he picked up a knock in the goal and had to come off at half time for the versatile Jake Wildman,

Early second half Harry Heathcote played a scrumptious ball into Tyler Gould who duly put Darlo 2-0 ahead, great strike bottom corner.

Thirty minutes into the second half Cradley pushing forward got a penalty, a brilliant save by keeper Ryan, however the rebound was smashed home to get Cradley back into the game 2-1.

Cradley then pushed forward in search of an equaliser Ryan pulling off a great top corner save tipping a shot cross over the bar. This made the game a very tight affair.

However a killer goal for Darlo right at the death, Jayden Deran to Zak Bamber (filling in up front for the injured Alfie) who thumped home a shot into the far corner, another superb strike game finishing 3 - 1 to Darlo.

Darlo tactically played a long ball game from Ryan, Elliot, Dan, Harry, Harrison and Tyler to negate Cradley’s press which paid dividends in getting this great away win in the opening game of the new season against a very strong Cradley outfit.