Harborough Town 4-2 Darlington, Saturday 22nd August 2026

*** probs uploading photos

Harborough Town 4-2 Darlington, National League North, Bowden Park, att. 856

I looked at the fixtures and made my decision fairly early on this one. There’s just something about going to Doncaster Rovers that simply doesn’t appeal. The Subbuteo stadium? The retail park it’s on? The half hour walk from town? Even it’s name. ‘Club Doncaster Sports Village’, anyone? The 20 quid they owe me from years previous? Add on a half 12 kick-off and I don’t care it’s a derby. My other half potentially needs a lift to the airport too. (She didn’t; she caught a train.) But I’m using it as an excuse not to attend Doncaster Rovers versus Barnsley. And what’s this? A look at my 2nd team Darlo’s fixtures brings up Harborough Town away. I message Kev. We’re on.

It’s an uneventful journey to Market Harborough, Leicestershire. We even pass the ground on our left as we enter, so we park up in a residential street between here and the town centre. Our homework has been done, we’re off to ‘Beerhaus’ where I enjoy a Weihenstephaner on a picnic bench outside, along with a few other Darlo fans who’ve made the same pilgrimage. This place is great. Market Harborough looks pleasant too, as we walk through the town centre back.

This is the first ever game between the two, as Harborough gained promotion last season…from the Southern League. Eh? Such are the vagaries of geographical borders in non-league that a side can gain promotion from the Southern League and end up in National League...North. And they’re not even the furthest southern team in this division this season. There’s Hereford, Merthyr, Brackley, Bedford and Oxford City. That’s quite a spread up to South Shields in the north-east.

Harborough Town were only formed in 1975 and even up to 20 years ago were only at county league level, so it’s some upward curve. We arrive at the clubhouse end and are guided down the left of the building. I’m willing to bet Harborough rarely segregate, but they do today. Once in, at one corner, we are moved on past a small covered terrace, down the side of the pitch, to the other end. Darlo are given the other end of the longside, as well as flat standing behind the goal. Once the game kicks off, Darlo fans were fenced in and home fans given access to that 1st stand.

On the far side are two modern cantilever stands bedecked in bright yellow seats. The smaller of the stands is where the local youth make their noise from and by the game’s end, they’re in high spirits. My own spirit is lifted by the addition of a portable beer stall behind our goal. It’s a poor choice, but it’s hot. My day is made when Kev mistakes our Estrella for ‘something by Brewdog?’ I think his previous pint is playing havoc with his taste buds. I also partake in ‘the facilities’, one of two portaloos in the corner. It’s just enough for the size of support.

The game is a disaster for Darlo. A 4-2 loss in a game they’d expect to win, the loss not really made up by the goal of the game, Paddy McLaughlin cutting inside and curling one off the far post from distance. Deliciously, from our viewpoint at the far end, the ball rolls in off the post and we don’t realise it’s gone in till it rests in the net. 2-1 up, after being behind, what can go wrong? Well, conceding a 57th minute goal to a bloke who once cost £15 million and is still in his early 30s (Britt Assombalonga) didn’t help, but Town seal it with goals in the 90th and 95th minutes. It’s a long way home to Darlo. But take solace. It’s not as far as Oxford. Or Merthyr, etc.

The Damage:
£18 ent
£3 programme
£12 2 pints of Estrella
= £33