Darlington 2 Bradford Park Avenue 1

Quakers won for the first time in six matches with a goal early in each half.

Phil Turnbull and Gary Brown were in caretaker charge for the last time, and they could be proud of their efforts as Quakers battled hard to hang on to the three points.

Darlington's new management team of Tommy Wright and Alan White received a warm reception from the fans when they were introduced before the game, and they must have been proud of the efforts of their new players.

Quakers took the lead after just 92 seconds! Terry Galbraith played a lovely ball up the left for Josh Gillies to help on for Leon Scott to whip into the middle, Nathan Cartman got a touch with a diving header, and Bradford defender Graham Kelly put the ball into his own net.

Quakers kept the pressure going in the wet and windy conditions, and Phil Turnbull had a powerful shot deflected wide from the edge of the box.

Bradford had their first chance on 15 minutes, when the ball came into the box for Adam Boyes to turn, but he pulled his effort well wide.

It was nearly 2-0 to Quakers when Turnbull floated a free kick in from the right, and the ball took a flick off a defender’s head and dropped just wide of the post.

Quakers had another opportunity when Tom Portas laid the ball back for Stephen Thompson to drive low towards goal, but a defender blocked on the six yard line.

Bradford tried to put some pressure on the Darlo defence, but Quakers dealt comfortably with it, until the 37^th minute when Boyes had a shot on the turn deflected wide.

Half time 1-0

The wind and rain didn't let up in the second half, with rain sweeping across the pitch to everyone's discomfort.

Bradford had a chance at the start of the second half. A inswinging free kick was whipped in from the right, and Boyes headed into Bartlett’s hands.

Quakers went 2-0 up on 54 minutes. Syers was fouled on the left hand side level with the 18 yard line, and Gillies curled the free kick into the middle over everyone and it dropped into the net at the far post.

Quakers nearly got another, when Syers burst down the right, and he tried to squeeze the ball into the near post, but fired into the side netting.

Bradford nearly pulled one back when Quakers cleared a right wing cross as far as Mark Ross, whose right foot blast was well saved by Bartlett.

It was nearly 3-0 when David Syers had a shot blocked, but he chipped the ball inside for Joe Wheatley to fire left footed just wide.

Sub Harvey Saunders then made a great run into the box, kept the ball in and set up Syers, whose shot was blocked.

Bradford pressed forward in the closing stages, and an effort by Johnson was well turned over the bar by Bartlett.

But with a minute left, Johnson headed in a left wing cross to cause some nervous moments.

Bartlett, Marrs, Scott, Turnbull, Collins, Galbraith, Gillies, Portas (sub Wheatley 69), Syers, Cartman (sub Saunders 76), Thompson (sub Caton 83)

Subs: Burgess, Wilczynski

Bookings: Portas, Cartman

Bradford:

Hall, Ross, Kelly, Wroe, Havern Toulson, Vidal, D Boshell, Boyes, Johnson, Clee (sub N Boshell 64).

Subs: Knowles, Hill, Spencer, Nowakowski,

Booking: D Boshell, Johnson

Attendance 1312