BY 4.45pm on Saturday, nobody at Feethams will have begrudged Darlington their first win of the season.

But the foundations for the victory lay in a controversial penalty award that meant Jan Molby's Kidderminster returned to Worcestershire pointless.

Molby was left fuming at Mike Ryan's decision.

"Their lad Barry Conlon had no chance of getting the ball. He's fallen into Parfait and then they score from a penalty."

But Darlington assistant boss, Mick Tait, hit back, saying: "I can't see how anybody couldn't give us a penalty. It was a blatant push. Barry Conlon was just about to head the ball and he was shoved.

Darlington midfielder Neil Maddison was in no doubt either.

He said: "I thought it was a penalty.

"I don't think Bazza had much chance of winning the ball, but you've got to get in there and have a go because there's always the chance someone's going to do something like their lad (Medou-otye) did.

"But we should have had one in the first half when Danny (Mellanby) knocked the ball past the 'keeper and their player pulled his shorts to keep him back."

Mellanby insisted he should have won a penalty in the opening 45 minutes when an opponent appeared to bring him down near the goalline.

He said: "What about mine at the other end? It was a blatant penalty.

"I kicked the ball past their keeper, but he fell over so I went past him and I was going to knock the ball over the line but their player came from behind and knocked me over."

Quakers host Sheffield United in the first round of the Worthington Cup tonight and are expected to rest a number of first-teamers while Neil Wainwright is ruled out after taking a knock on his left ankle and shin.

Mick Tait said the players were looking forward to the match.

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