Darlington a release statement over an incident involving a fan of theirs and a Curzon Ashton keeper on Bank Holiday Monday.
The Quakers fell to a second defeat of the 2021/22 season with their defence collapsing under pressure again losing 2-1 at the Tameside Stadium.
However during the game, a member of the North East club’s fanbase broke rules and make his way onto the pitch during the first half.
📝 𝗖𝗟𝗨𝗕 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧
We have been made aware (Monday 30th August) of an unfortunate incident during the first half of our away game at Curzon Ashton. We have therefore released the following statement on the club’s official website.#WeAreDarlo
— Darlington FC (@Official_Darlo) August 30, 2021
DARLINGTON STATEMENT:
We have been made aware (Monday 30th August) of an unfortunate incident during the first half of our away game at Curzon Ashton.
When we took the lead, one of our “supporters” jumped over the barrier and allegedly kicked the Curzon Ashton keeper. He was escorted out of the ground by a steward.
Let us be clear, that Darlington Football Club strongly condemns this behaviour, and we will take severe action against the “supporter”. We will not tolerate the good name of the club being tarnished by such irresponsible behaviour. We have apologised to Curzon Ashton for the incident.
We believe that we know the individual concerned, and he will be invited to attend a meeting with club officials in due course.
If you witnessed the incident, then please send your account to secretary Dave Watson, on dave.watson@darlingtonfc.org and it will be treated in the strictest confidence.
– STATEMENT ENDS –
Meanwhile, on the game itself, Darlington looked much sharper and produced more creativity than their opener on Saturday, however they gave away two cheap goals after Jake Cassidy had fired them into the lead, sparking wild celebrations.
Curzon Ashton’s main striker, Dominic Knowles, caused them problems from that point on with his strength and height.
Darlington manager Alun Armstrong said: “It was a much-improved performance with the ball, but without the ball, defensively, it cost us.
“We were in control of the game, but then the defence dropped deeper and deeper. The two goals were laughable, we gave them away again. They were basic errors – I’m sick of saying the same things over and over again. Something’s going to have to change, we’ll have to change the personnel. I’m trying to bring at least one centre-half in.
“I thought we started brightly and caused them problems with our 4-3-3. We opened them up, players got into the game and Jake scored, but you can’t legislate for defending like that.”
Will Hatfield’s 30 yard effort went close to going in for the Quakers before Cassidy broke the deadlock. Jarrett Rivers found Kallum Griffiths on the overlap, and a low cross was almost turned in by Hatfield.
It was nearly 2-0 a few minutes later when Griffiths crossed from the right for Cassidy, only for keeper Chris Renshaw to make an easy save with the ball headed straight at him.
Curzon levelled on the 29th minute when Knowles turned on a pass from a throw in, didn’t falter when two weak challenges came at him, and buried the ball past Tommy Taylor and into the back of the net.
Curzon went ahead on the 39th minute following a long throw causing problems in the Darlington area, the defence couldn’t clear it and there was Knowles to lift the ball over the oncoming keeper and slid the ball into the net.
The Nash went down to ten men with midfielder Dale Whitham being shown a second yellow for a foul on Kevin Dos Santos, and in turn that caused them to defend for the rest of the game.
Hatfield thought he got an equaliser with a right-foot shot with seven minutes remaining, but Renshaw managed to touch the ball onto the crossbar.
FT: Curzon Ashton 2-1 Darlington. The home side secured the win at the Tameside Stadium despite Darlington coming close several times in a lively second half.
Despair for Darlo sees Curzon catapult into fourth ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/Aj1FEOkTpb
— eden 😎✌🏻 (@EdenDoesATweet) August 30, 2021
Fans reacted as Darlington release a statement over the incident involving a fan and the Curzon Ashton keeper…
@blakeydfc: Embarrassing once again.
@George_storey16: Club full of bedwetters
@BenSirs: An “unfortunate” incident? I thought spilling your pint or buying the wrong pie might be an unfortunate incident, not kicking the oppositions goalie!
@George_storey16: Kicked the goalie we’re you watching the game blindfolded
@PJ_DFC: Wow 🙄 just ban them ffs 🤦🏻♂️
@crusheralan: No way surely not name and shame 😡
@JayKhfc: Straight ban no meeting required 🤷🏻♂️
@dale_sando: Absolute embarrassing behaviour…
@AdHogarth: If it’s true, the individual should be banned for life. There should be no place for that kind of idiot in any football club.
@darlo_paul12: Is this some kind of joke ? It’s like a repeat of Farsley which was funny enough the first away game of the season last time 😩😩 I give up with these so called fans 😡…what did they achieve by kicking the keeper..being the biggest prick yep you’ve achieved that alright!! 😡
@DannyRead1993: No place for it especially with spectators back at football grounds after a year and a half away
@Logan14Cameron: What a bellend whoever it was 🤦♂️🤦♂️
SEE MORE: Robbie Savage breaks up fans fighting at Macclesfield’s sold out game vs Congleton
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