Match Report

Darwen started the 2025/26 league season with a frustrating 0-0 draw at home to Thornton Cleveleys.

The Salmoners started their campaign with a point following on from an unbeaten pre-season, falling short of an opening day win after Connor Hughes saw two goals disallowed.

Both sides kept the game at a high pace for the opening 15 minutes, with a number of end-to-end periods threatening early goals at both ends.

Thornton winger Daniel Stoney failed to convert the best chance of the game 20 minutes in, firing his shot over the bar after being played in down the left hand side.

Connor Hughes’ first disallowed goal came just before the half hour mark, when Archie Lang poked Pawel Zuk’s cross into the captain.

Hughes slotted the ball in from close range but the referee had already blown for a foul, signalling the ball had struck the forward on the arm as he brought it under control.

Darwen continued the half with the majority of possession, but struggled to create more than half-chances in front of goal.

Jack Wright was inches away from scoring on his competitive debut on the brink of half time, when his header from Joshua Abbott’s corner was cleared off the line by Thornton captain Oliver Wilkinson, keeping the scoreline level after the first 45 minutes.

Bruno Severino and Ryan Talbot had efforts come close to breaking the deadlock early in the second period, with the midfielder seemingly involved in every Darwen attack after the break.

Jack Foster and Akim Samms replaced Talbot and Abbott on the 64th minute, with both substitutes seeing shots blocked in a scramble in the box less than two minutes after coming on.

The away side looked to steal a goal against the run of play, when Daniel Stoney saw his effort blocked on the line by Wright, recovering well after the centre-half was beaten coming into his box.

A minute later Charlie Lloyd stepped across the line brilliantly to stop Lang from having a free shot at goal, after the right-back nearly took the ball all the way to Louis Hood.

Connor Hughes’ patience was tested again with 20 minutes to go, after Samms shot was pushed into the striker’s path by goalkeeper Oliver Shepherd.

Hughes found the net with a volley before turning to see the offside flag up in the air, with both the captain and fans on the sideline adamant he had kept himself on the right side of the line.

The tension continued to build after the decision, Jack Foster hitting the side netting after his effort from the edge of the box was deflected.

Louis Hood pulled off an incredible save to keep his clean sheet intact, denying Archie Lang from close range before the game began to break down with 15 minutes to go.

Bruno Severino picked up a knock and a yellow card after a collision in the box with the Thornton keeper, Mohamed Wassa threading a pass through over the top before the two knocked into each other.

With minimal chances before the 90th minute the game looked likely to run out to an uncomplicated 0-0 draw, but Jordan Beavers collision with Louis Hood outside the box changed the tempo completely.

Beavers chased down a loose ball before Hood headed the ball clear, taking a big hit with the Thornton player in the process, resulting in both players being wrapped with bandages and a scuffle amongst teammates over the two on the ground.

Despite looking similar to Severino’s collision, Hood picked up the yellow card for the challenge and Thornton were awarded the free kick on the edge of the Darwen box.

The game eventually ended in a stalemate, with manager Leighton Mills reflecting on the first match of the season positively in his interview.

“Frustrating. We made hard work of it at times.” Mills said.

“But I’m glad its happened the first game of the season because it gives us an inkling to what teams are going to come here and do.

“We’ve worked them down at times, we had good opportunities and it was either just an extra touch or an extra pass.” he added.

“I’m not worried at all.”