At the third attempt Darlington-born Alan White finally enjoyed a visit to the 96.6TFM Arena by grabbing the winner for Notts County - but it was not the first time he had scored a goal in his hometown.

Playing as a one-off for Haughton FC nine months ago in The Northern Echo Darlington Sunday Invitation League, the defender scored a late header on one of the pitches at Hundens Lane.

Although on that occasion he could not prevent his mates' team falling to defeat, Saturday's header was enough to give Notts County three points after previously having no luck at his hometown club while with Leyton Orient and Boston United.

Haughton FC were set-up in tribute to White's brother, a youth coach at Darlington, who died in December 2000.

White said: "They were getting beat 4-0 so I came on as a sub and scored.

"My brother Stephen died six years ago so his mates set up a team in memory of him so whenever I'm back up here I go to watch them play, usually with a bad head from the night before.

"That day they were short so I got my boots on and scored a header.

"So that's the second goal I've scored in Darlington this year, this one was a bit more important though."

White began his career in the youth team at Middlesbrough before going on to play for Luton Town, Colchester United and then Leyton Orient with whom he lost 3-0 at the 96.6TFM Arena two years ago.

The record books show that White scored an own goal that day but he disputes it, saying: "Everyone reckons I scored an own goal but Clyde Wijnhard got the last touch, not me.

"I've never done well when here, I think the best result I've had was a 0-0 draw with Boston last year. We didn't come here intending to win at all that night, we sat on the 0-0 from the fifth minute onwards, so I am really pleased with this result.

"You don't try harder in these games because if you did that would mean you weren't trying your best in all your other games. But when you win these it means more to you.

"It was sweeter because I've not done well here before and my mates had an executive box. When I came out of the tunnel I heard them shouting 'baldy' and a few other things when I went down injured!"

In an eventful day for the 30-year-old, White twice required attention from the physio in the first half, once after Micky Cummins caught him with an elbow while challenging for a header.

As a result, White left the pitch with a heavily bruised eye and explained: "That was Micky's fault, he's a mate of mine because we were at Middlesbrough together but he caught me a treat in the first half.

"I don't think he meant it to be honest. And another mate, Julian Joachim who I was with at Boston, caught me as well.

"In the first half I was off the pitch more than I was on it."