Darlington crash to sixth home defeat in a row
Written by Dennis Mutie on 19th August 2026
Darlington FC extended their home losing streak to six consecutive defeats after a 1-0 loss to Chester FC at Blackwell Meadows on Tuesday evening.
The Quakers started brightly, with both sides registering shots on target in an energetic first half. Darlington enjoyed the majority of possession but were unable to turn their control of the game into a goal.
Chester broke the deadlock 10 minutes into the second half. A well-worked one-two allowed Ma’kel Campbell to find space just outside the box before slotting a superb left-footed effort into the bottom corner.
Darlington pushed for an equaliser for the remainder of the match but were unable to find the final pass or finish needed to get the ball into the back of the net. Defender Ben Hedley said the result did not reflect the team’s overall performance.
Darlington FC (in white) were beaten by Chesters FC, their sixth defeat in a row.
“I think we probably matched them in both halves. It was just the final ball we didn’t quite get tonight,” he said.
Hedley remained positive despite the defeat, adding: “It wasn’t a bad performance. It’s nothing to get downhearted about. It’s still so early in the season; there’s a lot of football to be played.”
The Quakers opened their National League North campaign with a 2-1 defeat to Worksop Town, before responding with a dramatic 3-2 victory away to Bedford Town, secured by a last-minute winner.
Darlington currently sit 17th in the league and will look to return to winning ways when they travel to Harborough Town on Saturday at 3pm.
