Darlington 4 Stalybridge Celtic 1

Quakers overcame the red card of Leon Scott with a good 4-1 home win over Stalybridge Celtic.

Quakers took an early lead through Liam Hardy, but the visitors stunned Quakers by equalising.

But inspired by Josh Gillies and Hardy, Quakers went 3-1 up.

Both sides then had a man sent off, before Stephen Thompson scored the goal of the game and seal the points.

Stalybridge were first to go close, when Sam Madeley cut in from the right hand side and hit a fierce left foot shot that just cleared Paul Woolston’s bar.

Quakers took the lead after just 4 minutes. The ball went to Stephen Thompson out on the right and he put the ball into the middle where Liam Hardy volleyed past Tony McMillan from a few yards for his sixth goal of the season.

It was nearly 2-0 when Thompson made another good run down the right again and pulled the ball back to Hardy at the near post, but he was crowded out.

Then in Quakers’ next attack, Hardy went down under a challenge from Jason Gorton inside the area, but the ref waved play on.

Stalybridge replied from a left wing corner that dropped to Gorton, who volleyed towards goal, but Terry Galbraith headed off the line.

But Stalybridge levelled on 16 minutes when Sam Madeley and Andy Owens combined well, and Owens sprinted clear to slot into the bottom left hand corner.

Stalybridge grew in confidence after and had more of the game, although a Gillies corner from the Darlington left landed on the roof of the net.

Gillies then went close for Quakers when he cut in from the left, beat two defenders and his low shot was saved by McMillan, then Hardy got round the back of the defence and whipped the ball into the middle but nobody could get a touch.

Falkingham then won the ball in midfield and hit a first time shot from 35 yards that McMillan held on to.

Quakers went back into the lead on 36 minutes. Gillies showed a burst of speed that took him round the back on the defence on the left, and he pulled the ball back perfectly for Hardy to fire into the top corner.

Quakers went 3-1 up on 44 minutes. The ball broke in the penalty area for Thompson to fire towards the bottom right hand corner, McMillan parried and the ball came back out for Thompson to pull back for Gillies to stroke home

Half time

Darlington 3 Stalybridge Celtic 1

Tom Portas, who was injured right at the end of the first half earning Bagshaw a yellow card, was replaced by Leon Scott at half time.

Quakers had a chance on 50 minutes when Thompson and Marrs exchanged passes on the right, allowing Thompson to turn and hit a left foot shot that went over the bar.

Quakers were reduced to ten men on 55 minutes when Scott went in late on Bagshaw prompting a scuffle between a few players, and the referee eventually showed him a red card.

Stalybridge were in turn reduced to ten men when Sam Madeley was shown his second yellow card for a late tackle on Marrs.

Quakers went 4-1 up on 64 minutes when Beck nodded the ball down for Thompson on the edge of the area, he feinted one way, went the other and curled the ball into the top corner.

Hardy nearly made it 5-1 when he collected a pass from Thompson, beat two defenders and the keeper, rolled the ball towards goal, but a defender got back and cleared the ball of f the line.

Sub Adam Mitchell then swopped passes with Thompson to get round the back and aimed for Beck in the middle, but Hughes got the ball away.

Then Beck beat McMillan in the air to a Mitchell cross, but a defender cleared off the line.

Quakers then had a break away when Thompson set up Nathan cartman, whose shot was blocked by McMillan.

Right at the end, Cartman slipped in Beck, who put the ball just wide of the post as the keeper advanced.

Attendance 1231

Darlington

Woolston, Marrs, Watson, Falkingham, Nowakowski, Galbraith, Thompson, Portas, Beck, Hardy, Gillies

Subs: Cartman, Jameson, Purewal, Scott, Mitchell

Stalybridge

McMillan, Kelly, Mather, Gorton, Hughes, Ryan, Gordon, Chalmers, Owens, Madeley, Platt

Subs: Wilkins, Bagshaw, Wisdom, Pilkington, Tames

Referee: Kevin Sarsfield Burnley