Nantwich 0 Darlington 5

Quakers are now just one point behind leaders Blyth after a fantastic away win at Nantwich.

Many fans would have taken a point at the FA trophy semi finalists, but instead Quakers produced a five star performance to boost their automatic promotion hopes.

Nathan Cartman scored twice in the first half, then Terry Galbraith added two more and Graeme Armstrong another. The victory equalled Quakers' best away this season (at Matlock) while the goal difference is now 13 goals better than Blyth's. This was also Quakers' sixth successive win.

But it's fair to say that manager Martin Gray and his players won't be getting carried away.

Nantwich had the first real chance of the game when the speedy Matty Kosylo broke through, but Peter Jameson saved with his legs, and then Troy Bourne’s effort was deflected wide for a fruitless corner.

Nantwich, who were already missing a couple of players because of injury, were forced into a substitution midway through the first half when Josh Gordon went off and was replaced by Sam Cooke.

Quakers slowly got on top, and took the lead when a strike by Stephen Thompson was blocked, but poacher Nathan Cartman was in the right place to fire his 16^th league goal of the season.

[caption id="attachment_19394" align="alignnone" width="300"] Nathan Cartman celebrates giving Darlo a 1-0 lead[/caption]

It was nearly 2-0 soon after, when skipper Kevin Burgess, up supporting his attack, tried an overhead kick that Smith punched away.

Nantwich threatened through Elliot Osborne, but he fired straight at Peter Jameson, but Quakers nearly grabbed a second at the other end when Smith and Biurne got in a tangle, and the keeper just managed to grab the ball before Stephen Thompson could take advantage.

Cartman sent the travelling Darlo fans wild again just before half time. Smith had saved a previous effort, but the keeper had no chance when Tom Portas shot towards goal, and Cartman quickly controlled the ball, turned, and beat the keeper. 2-0!

[caption id="attachment_19395" align="alignnone" width="300"] Nathan Cartman celebrates his second goal[/caption]

Half time

Nantwich 0 Darlington 2

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Nantwich tried to hit back in the second half, but Jameson saved from Sam Cooke.

However, Quakers took a stranglehold on the game when Smith brought down Portas when he was bursting through, and Terry Galbraith scored his eighth goal of the season from the spot, tucking the ball low into the bottom right hand corner. 3-0!

[caption id="attachment_19396" align="alignnone" width="300"] Tom Portas is brought down in the area by the Nantwich keeper[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_19393" align="alignnone" width="300"] Terry Galbraith scores from the spot[/caption]

It got better. It was 4-0 just after the hour, when Cartman got to the bye line and pulled the ball back perfectly for Galbraith to drive home with that trusty left foot.

Soon after, on 75 minutes, a fifth goal came along for Quakers when Portas dispossessed a defender, fired at goal, and even though the keeper blocked his shot, sub Graeme Armstrong was there to turn in the loose ball.

Armstrong then missed an easy chance from ten yards to make it a record away win for Quakers – but nobody was grumbling after a fantastic away performance to put Quakers just one point behind leaders Blyth with their 13^th away league win of the season.

So now is the time to bring a friend to Quakers' next game, at home to Halesowen on Saturday at Heritage Park, kick off 3pm, and cheer the lads on.

Darlington:

Jameson, Hunter, Galbraith, Turnbull, Burgess (C), Brown, Portas, Nowakowski, Gaskell (sub Armstrong 59), Cartman (sub Mitchell 80), Thompson (sub Hardy 65).

Subs: Provett, Weldon

Booking: Hunter

Nantwich:

Smith, Bourne, White, Moran, Harrison, Gordon (sub Cooke 23), Osborne, Hall (C), Cosgrove, Bell, Kosylo.

Subs: Burzynski, Steel, Bennion, Griggs

Attendance 512