01-01-40: Darlington (a) 1-3 (HT 1-2) Crowd (2,000)

Match Report: Yorkshire Post 2nd January 1940

Darlington Beat United

Leeds United could not complain of their 3-1 defeat by Darlington in a friendly fixture at Feethams before just under 2,000 spectators. Considering the state of the ground the football was quite good. Darlington forwards were obviously prepared to take more risks, and they did most of the attacking in both halves. It was seldom that Leeds were seen in concerted movements. Darlington's victory was all the more creditable because two selected players failed to turn out. They included at outside right David Edgar, a former Darlington player, who was having his first serious game for a couple of seasons. He kept his end up well. Simpson, who led the line, was a live wire and the Leeds defence never quite knew where they had him. Tom Cochrane, a former Leeds player, and Deacon formed Darlington's better wing on the left, though Smith had a good first game at inside right. Theaker (Newcastle United) kept a safe goal, but he had not so much to do as Swindin the Leeds keeper. Most of the thrills were at his end. Though in arrears 15 minutes after the start when Powell scored after Theaker had pushed out a shot by David Cochrane, Darlington fought back strongly and Simpson got an equaliser after 32 minutes. A minute before the interval Deacon gave them a well-deserved lead, and Cochrane added Darlington's third goal 15 minutes after the restart. Some of the liveliest play followed, with the Leeds forwards more in the picture. But the home defence did their work well and left few loopholes. Cochrane (D.) and Powell had some nice interpassing moves on the Leeds right wing, but the finishing of the line as a whole was weak, and little was seen of Hodgson, the leader.