Ebac Northern League Division Two

Northallerton Town 2 Darlington RA 1

A CONTROVERSIAL LATE penalty from Stuart Owen gave Northallerton Town victory in the Boxing Day derby against Darlington RA.

After Nathan Wilson had given the RA an early lead from the penalty spot, Damon Reaks fired a great equaliser before Owen kept his nerve to win it for Town.

Northallerton were fast out of the blocks and could have been two-up within the opening three minutes. Danny McLachlan's dipping shot was tipped over the top by RA goalkeeper Sam Snell before McLachlan then chipped wide following a poor clearance from Snell.

But it was the visitors who grabbed a sixth minute lead against the run of play. Owen was adjudged to have pushed Phil Caley inside the area and Wilson converted from the spot.

The lead lasted barely six minutes, however. McLachlan found Reaks on the right-hand side of the penalty area and he drilled a low shot beyond Snell from a tight angle.

Town should have been in front by the break as first McLachlan fired over after a low cross from Jimmy Muir before Reaks shot narrowly wide from 25 yards. But it remained 1-1 at the interval.

The RA looked far more dangerous at the start of the second half. Former Town winger Christian Holliday fired over the top before substitute Darren Kokes, another ex-Northallerton player, could only find the side netting.

Town's best chance of a winner appeared to be Muir's far post header from Ross Teasdale's right-wing cross, but the ball hit the frame of the goal. However, with just three minutes remaining, a shot from Reaks hit a defender's arm and the referee pointed to the spot; Owen making no mistake from 12 yards.

It was nearly 3-1 in the closing stages when substitute Danny Mellanby capitalised on another poor clearance from Snell but his lobbed attempt landed on the roof on the net.

RA manager Warren Moncur was very disappointed with the award of the late penalty. He said: "When you have five or six people charging a ball down in your own area and you give penalties for that, you'll be giving ten or twelve penalties a game.

"I thought for twenty minutes before the penalty it only looked like us winning the game."

Town boss Steve Skinner accepted his side had been slightly fortunate. He said: "I thought it was just a typical derby game, everyone was cancelling each other out. It was pleasing to get the three points when we know we can play a lot, lot better.

"Was it a penalty? Yes he did catch it with his arm but how far away was he from the ball. But at the end of the day any manager would take it."