In this week’s Memory Match, Simon Weatherill looks back to the 3-2 home win over Bury on 22^nd February 1958.

The 1957/58 season was to have huge significance for all the clubs in the lower levels of the Football League. It was to be the last season of a regionalised third division. The following year would see the introduction of Divisions Three and Four, so as the campaign kicked off in Division 3 North, the prime objective was to finish in the top half of the table. The top twelve would qualify for Division Three, the bottom 12 would be in Division Four for the following season.

Inconsistency plagued the team in the opening months of the 1957/58 season. So much so that manager Bob Gurney was asked to resign at the beginning of October after 5 ½ years in charge and Dick Duckworth was appointed with the sole brief of getting the team into the top half. By the end of November, the Quakers sat in 18th place in the table with 17 points from their 20 games.

They were distracted from their patchy league form when they embarked on one of the club’s best ever FA Cup runs. A 2-0 away win at Rochdale in Round 1 was followed by a 5-3 win over Boston at Feethams in Round 2. Next, Norwich City were beaten 2-1 at Carrow Road to set the Quakers up with a 4th Round tie at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea. The game finished 3-3 and led to one of the most famous afternoons in Feethams history as Darlington stormed through 4-1 after extra time in the replay. The prize for defeating Chelsea was a 5th Round tie away to the mighty Wolverhampton Wanderers. Wolves were a top team at the time and would go on to finish the season as Football League Champions. Perhaps not surprising then that some sense of order was restored to the football world as they ran out 6-1 winners against the Quakers in front of 55,778 fans at Molineux.

The following weekend, with the cup dream ended, it was back to the bread and butter of the league as leaders Bury would visit Feethams on February 22. Bury had been relegated from Division 2 in the previous season and were determined to go straight back up. They were five points clear at the top of the table with 44 points from 32 games and were the division’s top scorers with an impressive 68 goals. They would be making their first ever visit to Feethams for a league game. Darlington had slipped to 20th in the table with 27 points from 30 games. Winger Dave Carr was an injury doubt leading up to the game. He’d received a facial injury that required stitches in the previous game but declared himself fit to face the Shakers.

Whether it was the chance to welcome home the Darlington cup heroes, or an opportunity to see the league leaders in action, the game attracted a massive crowd of 10,426, easily the highest Feethams attendance of the season for a league game. They saw the Quakers make a lightning start and very nearly take the lead after only ten seconds. Straight from the kick off Keith Morton played in Dave Carr, who cut in from the right wing and hit an angled drive across the goal, just wide of the far post. The opening exchanges were end to end with both sides threatening to grab the first goal. The home defence looked more solid and comfortable though, so it was the Quakers who looked more likely to make the breakthrough. It eventually came on 22 minutes when Ron Harbertson crossed from the right and Jim Milner headed home. The excellent football continued from both sides but it was Darlington who continued to have the upper hand. The visitors suffered a huge setback on 40 minutes when left winger Jimmy Lovie tore a ligament in his knee and hobbled off. No substitutes in those days so Bury would have to play the last 50 minutes with ten men. The Quakers increased their lead a minute later with a superb strike by Carr but their two goal advantage only lasted two minutes as Bury right back Eddie Robertson fired home from close range. Half time: Darlington 2 Bury 1.

The second half carried on at the same frantic pace with Bury making light of their man disadvantage. They played their best football of the game, showing why they were the league leaders and it was no surprise when they forced an equaliser on the hour. Inside right Donald Watson firing home. The thrills and excitement continued and there were chances at both ends with both keepers having fine games. Joe Turner for the Quakers and Roy McLaren for the Shakers kept the scores level and made sure that the match could go either way. It was decided 17 minutes from time as the visitors tired, Morton broke away down the left and crossed for Harry Bell to head home the Quakers winner.

The 3-2 win lifted Darlington one place in the table. They were unbeaten in four games (three wins, one draw) and they now stood just four points behind Tranmere Rovers who occupied 12th place in the table. With 15 games remaining and the team running into some kind of form, hopes were high that they could close the gap and make a late assault on the top half. They managed to lose their next four games though to end any hopes. They eventually finished the season in 20th place with 41 points. In a very tight league this was still only five points adrift of the teams in mid table. Dreadful away form had ruined their chances. Their form at Feethams had been excellent (15 wins from 23 games) but only two away wins all season finished their chances of finishing in the top half and meant that they would be kicking off the following season in the newly formed Division Four.

The programme for the 1957/58 season consisted of twelve pages and it cost 3d. Virtually the only half-time reading material appeared on the front cover under the heading Club Jottings, with news of what had been happening around the club. Other regular features were the half-time scoreboard, a sports quiz, a list of fixtures and results and the team line-ups on the centre pages.

Team v Bury: 1 Joe Turner 2 Len Green 3 Brian Henderson 4 Ken Furphy 5 Ron Greener 6 Bill Rutherford 7 Dave Carr 8 Harry Bell 9 Ron Harbertson 10 Jim Milner 11 Keith Morton.