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Darlington 2 Nantwich Town 1

Ten man Darlington held on for three big points to go four points behind leaders Blyth with two games in hand.

Quakers took the lead with a Tom Portas header in the second half, but then they had Chris Hunter red carded for a foul on Matt Bell.

Quakers went close in the second minute. Adam Mitchell whipped in a free kick from the left for Graeme Armstrong to head just wide from eight yards out.

Quakers then had a good spell of possession, and there was one good run by Stephen Thompson up the left, and he put in a good cross that Nantwich just got away.

Quakers had another chance on 15 minutes, when Mitchell floated a free kick into the box from the right, Nantwich keeper Daniel Gyollai punched the ball clear, and Terry Galbraith, under pressure, half volleyed over the bar from ten yards.

Nantwich had their first chance on 19 minutes when Sean Cooke charged a clearance down in midfield, ran forward and hit a right foot shot that went just wide of the left hand post.

Quakers had a good chance on 24 minutes. Thompson dribbled past a defender on the left and pulled the ball back for Tom Portas to hit with the outside of his right foot, but he fired wide.

Quakers were awarded a free kick 25 yards out for a foul on Portas, and Galbraith curled the ball over the wall towards the top right corner, but Gyollai got across well and held on.

Quakers took the lead on 39 minutes. Thompson picked up a pass from Portas in his stride, ran into the area, and coolly placed the ball into the bottom right hand corner.

Half time

Darlington 1 Nantwich 0

Nantwich equalised within three minutes of the restart when Matt Bell whipped a free kick into the Darlington area from the right, caught Peter Jameson in two minds as the forwards closed in, and the ball crept into the net.

Quakers got a free kick for a foul on Cartman on the right hand side, and Galbraith’s left footed free kick was touched over the bar by Gyollai.

From the corner, the ball eventually fell for Leon Scott to have a shot blocked by the keeper, Burgess followed up but again the keeper saved.

Nantwich nearly took the lead when Hancock crossed into the middle where Bell hit the ball first time, and Jameson just managed to stick out his right foot and save, then Hancock burst through one-on-one down the right, and fortunately for Darlington, he lifted his shot over the bar as Jameson advanced.

Quakers regained the lead on 75 minutes. A long throw by Mitchell was flicked on by Burgess, the keeper was beaten to the ball by his own defender, and the ball looped up in the air nicely for Portas to head into an empty net.

Quakers were reduced to ten men on 77 minutes when Chris Hunter was straight red carded for a foul on Shotton , the referee having consulted his assistant first pursued by several opposition players.

The dismissal seemed harsh, but it meant that Galbraith had to move to centre half, and Scott to left back.

Getting nervous? Quakers playing with one up front. Purewal playing left side midfield, Hardy playing right side midfield.

Credit to the fans, they rose to the occasion and kept the players going, cheering every team Quakers got the ball away.

And Quakers managed to hold on for a big victory that keeps the pressure on leaders Blyth. Grantham next.

Darlington: Jameson, Mitchell, Galbraith, Turnbull, Burgess, Hunter, Portas, Scott, Armstrong, Cartman, Thompson.

Subs: Gaskell, Provett, Hardy, Purewal, Nowakowski

Nantwich Town:Gyollai, Baillie, White, Moran, Harrison, Jones, Cooke, Hall, Shotton, Bell, Hancock

Subs: Osborne, Smith, Bailey, Short, Kosylo

referee: Craig Deam