Darlington 6 North Ferriby 0

Scorers: Syers 16, Thompson 28, Styche 35, Thompson 41, Gillies 45, Gillies 69

Attendance 1087

Quakers scored five times against a blizzard as they brushed North Ferriby aside at Blackwell Meadows to record their fourth successive home win and move two points away from the play offs.

Stephen Thompson scored twice to celebrate signing a new deal, with Reece Styche, David Syers and Josh Gillies all on target in the first half, then Gillies scored another in a one-sided second half. Quakers have lost just once in their last ten matches and are tenth in the table.

Darlo kicked off against the blizzard and biting cold wind. It was clear from Aynsley Pears’ first clearance how difficult the wind would be to play against.

Not surprisingly, there were only 8 people stood behind the barrier at the open end!

Quakers took no risks early on, keeping possession well as they tried to keep the ball down and find a way through the visiting defence.

Quakers took the lead on 16 minutes when Joe Wheatley played the ball out to the right for Stephen Thompson to control, run to the bye line and pull back perfectly for David Syers to tap in his eighth goal of the season.

But Ferriby nearly levelled when Forrester crossed from the left, and Jordan Harrison at full stretch, diverted the ball into Pears’ hands.

Quakers thought they should have had a penalty when Thompson crossed from the right, and Ferriby full back Ben Clappison seemed to control the ball with his arm as he tried to clear at the far post.

Quakers then got a penalty on 28 minutes when Syers put Joe Wheatley through, and he was brought down by the keeper Durrant. The ref pointed to the spot, from where Thompson scored.

It was nearly 3-0 when Gillies curled a corner over from the right, and Thompson headed just over.

Ferriby nearly pulled a goal back, with a left foot shot by Forrester that Pears pushed away.

But Quakers went back up the other end and made it 3-0. Trotman played the ball into the box for Styche, who had his back to goal six yards out, but he quickly backheeled it towards goal, and the ball went in off a defender.

It was 4-0 on 41 minutes. Trotman and Thompson played a couple of delightful 1-2s to take Thompson into the box, and he beat Durrant with a low right foot shot that went into the bottom left hand corner.

And it was 5-0 on 45 minutes, when Styche split the defence for Gillies to slip under the keeper.

Half time

Darlington 5 North Ferriby 0

Quakers created chances at the start of the second half. Thompson set up Syers, whose low shot was well saved, and when the ball was played back in by Gillies, Thompson fired over the top from a tight angle.

Wheatley then got round the back, and his low shot was saved by Durrant.

Styche chased a long ball and won possession, he cut inside to the edge of the 18 yard box and fired a yard wide.

Quakers then made two subs, Caton and Mills coming on for Styche and Thompson. Glover is already on for Syers.

It was 6-0 on 69 minutes, when Mills crossed from the left, into the middle and the ball dropped for Gillies to turn in.

Quakers went in search of 7, but Caton and Mills were both denied in a goalmouth scramble, and Glover put a great chance over the top from a Gillies set up.

Gillies had the chance of a hat trick from a free kick that he curled over the wall, but the keeper saved.

And Durrant pulled off another good save, this time fingertipping Terry Galbraith's header over the top

attendance 1087

Darlington:  Pears , Trotman, O’Hanlon, Turnbull, Heaton, Galbraith, Gillies, Wheatley, Styche (sub Mills 64), Syers (sub Glover 57), Thompson (sub Caton 64)

Subs: Bancroft, Vaulks

Bookings: None

North Ferriby: Durrant, Clappison, Lofts (sub Deacey 57), Forrester, Piercey, Mail, George (sub Nicholls 57), Johnson, Harrison (sub Dunkerley 80), Collins, Cook

Subs: Exall, Bannister

Bookings: Durrant, Harrison, Cook

(photos by a very cold Nick Burton)