SATURDAY LIVE SPORT BLOG (From Darlington and Stockton Times)

5:00pm

FT: Crewe 2 Hartlepool 1 . Two good performances this week after a pitiful show seven days ago - but two defeats by the same scoreline.

Six good second-half chances, but no goals, bar Horwood's early opener. 

4:50pm

Darren Richardson close to making it 8-1, the overlapping left-back hit the wrong side of the Billingham Town side-netting after being played in by Shaun Reay. Five minutes to play, still 7-1 to Darlington.

4:47pm

GOAL: Yet another Darlington goal. 7-1. Adam Nicholls makes it 7-1 on 83 minutes, slalomed through the Billingham Town defence. 

4:40pm

GOAL: Can’t keep up here. 5-1 to Darlington now. Emms played the ball across goal, Billingham Town struggled to clear and Reay was on hand to tap home at close-range.

4:37pm

GOALS: Darlington’s propensity for handing other teams a goal strikes again. Stephen Harrison heads into Glen Butterworth’s path and he blasts home to make it 3-1 on 71 minutes. But within 60 seconds later an unmarked Shaun Reay tapped in at the far post, following a Leon Scott pass, to make it 4-1.

4:20pm

Two big chances for Ryan Noble in a minute here for Hartlepool at Crewe. First his shot from 12 yards was brilliantly blocked by keeper Martin, second time in space deep his shot beat Martin but cleared off the line. 

4:00pm

Word reaching the press box that Mike Amos was given an earful from an elderly lady, who also happens to be a Darlington supporter, in the bar at Billingham Town today regarding The Battle of Dunston a fortnight ago.

3:55pm

HALF-TIME: Billingham Town 0 Darlington 1 (Emms). In injury time we had a cracking save by Billingham’s Danny Molyneux, tipping a Stephen Thompson effort onto the crossbar.

3:51pm

HT: Crewe 1 Hartlepool 1 - good start, one up through Horwood, but then a bit of a defensive job. Missed penalty from Crewe before deserved leveller. Pools need to be a bit bolder and braver on the ball and try and get better balls into Howard and the lively Noble. 

3:46pm

Substitution for Billingham Town: Harry Styles from One Direction replaces Craig Norman on 40 minutes. Okay, it may not be Harry Styles from One Direction (it’s more likely to be Josh MacDonald), but he’s got the same crazy hair as Harry Styles from One Direction.

3:43pm

Boro forced to make a change. Justin Hoyte has come off with an injury and is replaced by Scott McDonald, who makes his first appearance for Boro this season. Nicky Bailey has moved to right-back, with McDonald moving to the left. Still 1-1.

3:43pm

Awful awful penalty miss - Crewe's Pogba hits the roof of the stand. Harsh award against Hartley who dived in way of Leitch-Smith shot. Bit of justice there I suppose, still Crewe 0 Hartlepool 1

3:42pm

And then an escape for Billingham Town. Darlington's Adam Nicholls beat Danny O’Brien down the flank and crossed into the centre, but Stephen Thompson’s weak and miscued header was easily saved by Danny Molyneux. 37 minutes gone, still 0-0.

3:41pm

Christian Selby’s lack of pace hands Darlington an escape. Defender Gary Brown failed to deal with a ball up the line and the Billingham Town forward turned Quakers’ captain, giving him a run on goal, but Brown was able to retreat and win back the ball from the sluggish striker.

3:32pm

This is a decent start from Hartlepool - one up and looking well for it. Crewe knocking it around well, Pools organised and busy. Sweeney looking back on form today, seeing more of the ball today than he has in weeks.

3:29pm

On 18 minutes Billingham Town defender Richard Gaston stretched out a leg to prevent Darlington’s Chris Emms’ neat pass from reaching Leon Scott as he burst into the penalty area.

And three minutes later Stephen Thompson lashed the ball off target after being played in by Emms.

Darren Richardson is on as a substitute for Darlington as left-back Dan Smith limped off injured on nine minutes.

3:28pm

23mins, 0-0. Not a great deal to report from Billingham Town v Darlington other than the minor disturbance on the terrace that delayed kick-off. Northern League chairman Mike Amos is believed to be in attendance, so his version of events will no doubt be anticipated.

3:21pm

3:12pm

We’ve had only five minutes played here at Bedford Terrace between Billingham Town and Darlington as there was a ten-minute delay to kick-off due to a bit of handbags on the terrace.

Players briefly returned to dressing room due to the incident which occurred beside the main stand at Billingham Town.

Before Northern League chairman Mike Amos does a blog, there was no full-scale riot, no water cannons required to restore order, just a bit of pushing and shoving.

With Hartlepool playing at Crewe today, online rumours had surfaced that there could be a presence from Pools at today’s game. That appeared to be speculation, but that there is no police present is surely a factor in the disorder.

Anyhow, still 0-0.

3:08pm

Early forced change for Pools - Monkhouse off injured, Horwood coming on

2:51pm

Billingham Town: Molyneux, O’Brien, Gamble, Perry, Gaston, Cossavella, Norman, Butterworth, Selby, Martin. Subs: Dunwell, MacDonald, Thomas, Clark, Hodgson

Darlington (4-4-2): Norton; Harrison, Brown, Tait, Smith; Emms, Scott, Gott, Nicholls; Amar Purewal, Thomas. Subs: Morris (gk), Richardson, Clough, Reay, Johnson

2:50pm

Darlington name an unchanged team for the second successive game for this afternoon’s fixture at Billingham Town.

The XI that defeated Penrith (4-1) and Newcastle Benfield (5-2) over the last week are again called on as Quakers aim to maintain their successful start to the season.

They have won 11 of their 12 league matches, including a 3-2 victory over today’s opponents three weeks ago at Heritage Park.

Today’s game at Beford Terrace says a new name among the subs for Quakers. Goalkeeper Carl Morris, formerly of Esh Winning, replaces the unavailable Chris Porter.

2:27pm

2:26pm

Quick return to the Hartlepool side for Ryan Noble after he signed on loan from Sunderland again yesterday. He replaces James Poole in the only change from Tuesday's loss to Sheffield United. 

CREWE ALEX: Martin, Tootle, Davis, Ellis, Clayton, Murphy, Pogba, Leitch-Smith, Mellor, Aneke, Bond. Subs: Garrett (gk), Dugdale, Turton, Robertson, Ray, Daniels, Waters.
HARTLEPOOL UNITED: Flinders; Austin, Baldwin, Collins, Holden; Franks, Murray, Sweeney, Monkhouse; Noble, Howard. Subs: Humphreys, Collins, Horwood, Poole, Lynch, McHugh (gk), James.
Referee: Jeremy Simpson (Lancs)

2:26pm

Final Sunderland substitution: Campbell for Sessegnon (83)

2:15pm

All Manchester City now, with David Silva curling a delicate chip against the crossbar.

2:12pm

Sunderland substitution: Saha for Johnson (68)

2:11pm

2:06pm

Sunderland substitution: Vaughan for Rose (61)

2:02pm

Another fine save from Mignolet, who leaps to his right to claim Richards' header.

The Belgian might have been slightly at fault for the goal, but he's kept Sunderland in the game from that point onwards.

2:00pm

Man City substitution: Aguero for Balotelli (55)

1:55pm

Lively start to the second half. Fletcher's first-time volley blocked by Richards at one end - Rose clears Richards' shot off the line at the other.

1:51pm

The second half is now under way at Manchester City. No half-time changes for either side as Sunderland attempt to overturn their one-goal deficit.

1:32pm

Half-time and Sunderland trail 1-0 to Kolarov's fifth-minute free-kick.

They haven't been overwhelmed since then, but Man City have been comfortable and look to have at least another couple of gears if they need them in the second half.

1:20pm

Sunderland giving the ball away far too much here, with Gardner and Colback particularly culpable.

Balotelli has just curled a tame effort wide for Man City, who lead 1-0 with ten minutes of the first half to go.

1:08pm

1:07pm

Important save from Mignolet to deny Zabaleta, who took advantage of some poor Sunderland defending to drill in a low shot.

12:56pm

This is the first time Sunderland have been behind this season, so it will be interesting to see how they react. Sessegnon has just volleyed their first attempt of the game over the top.

12:49pm

3. Carlos Cuellar booked in the third minute for an awful tackle on Carlos Tevez. Not exactly the ideal start to the Spaniard's return to the first team.

12:46pm

We're under way at Man City with Sunderland lining up as expected. 4-4-1-1 with Sessegnon playing off Fletcher.

12:41pm

Not long to go now. Sunderland have made one change for today's game - the returning Carlos Cuellar replacing Titus Bramble at centre-half.

Manchester City are without Vincent Kompany and Sergio Aguero. Their defence doesn't look the strongest, with Micah Richards expected to play at centre-half, but a front three of David Silva, Mario Balotelli and Carlos Tevez isn't exactly bad.

12:19pm

12:19pm

12:12pm

Welcome to The Northern Echo's live sport blog on another busy afternoon of football action.

It's an early start in the Premier League with Sunderland taking on reigning champions Manchester City in the lunchtime kick-off at the Etihad Stadium.

Then at 3pm, Middlesbrough are in Championship action at Watford, while Hartlepool travel to Crewe Alexandra in League One.

The pick of the non-league games sees Northern League leaders Darlington travel to Billingham Town.