Warrington 1 Darlington 3

Rutledge (51 mins 0-1) Salkeld (81 mins 0-2), McDonald (84 mins, 1-2), Salkeld (90+3 mins 1-3)

Darlington lifted themselves to sixth from bottom with a much-needed victory at Warrington.

Quakers looked the better team in the first half, and took the lead after half time through Aiden Routledge.

Cedric Main turned on the magic to set up Cameron Salkeld for the second, who ran through for the third in stoppage time.

It was a great 50th birthday present for manager Steve Watson, who spoke to the official website afterwards:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBsacqKDLow

Goalscorers Cameron Salkeld and Aidan Rutledge were also happy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_-vPJROsh0

The win puts Quakers sixth from bottom of the table above Farsley Celtic who lost at Spennymoor, but Rushall Olympic are two points behind still after beating Boston 1-0.

Warrington gave themselves a scare with a loose back pass that had too much pace on it, but Atherton showed good control to get the ball away.

Quakers created their first chance when Aidan Rutledge played a 1-2 on the right, ran into the area, sidestepped a challenge, and fired towards goal, and the ball bounced off Salkeld and went over the bar.

Jarrett Rivers then made a good run up the middle and found Rutledge on the left, but his cross was held by Atherton.

Quakers nearly took the lead when Rivers pulled the ball back from the left for Salkeld to sidefoot towards goal, but Atherton pushed the ball out for a corner.

Another chance came when the Warrington defence failed to clear Cedric Main’s cross from the right, and Rutledge pulled his left foot shot across the face of goal.

Warrington had their first real chance on 20 minutes when McDonald put Amis clear in the box, but Matty Young confidently held his right foot shot.

Amis then had another opportunity to run at goal, but Jake Lawlor put in a good tackle for a corner.

Warrington had their best chance yet on 30 minutes when Dec Walker curled the ball towards the top corner from 30 yards out, but Young tipped the ball over the top.

Quakers responded with a pass by Rivers out to the left for Rutledge, who cut in but fired wide, then Main crossed low from the right for Ben Liddle, who sidefooted wide from ten yards.

Warrington got a free kick on the right about 25 yards out on 41 minutes, but again confident Quakers got the ball away.

Quakers could perhaps consider themselves to be unfortunate at half time, as they had missed some good chances.

Half time 0-0

Quakers started the second half with a good run down the left by Rivers, but his cross went behind.

Main then dribbled into the crowded box, but couldn’t get a shot in and was crowded out.

Quakers took the lead on 51 minutes. Rivers won the ball well in midfield, Salkeld found Hedley on the right, and Hedley weighted his cross in perfectly for Rutledge to head in at the far post, his first goal for the club.

Warrington nearly levelled, but the ball was headed wide from a corner.

Connor Woods then won the ball in midfield for Warrington, beat three men, but his low shot was saved by Young.

Quakers made two subs on the hour, Hatfield and Cornish coming on for Liddle and Rivers.

Quakers won three successive corners, but couldn’t make them count, but then Main nearly put Salkeld through, and he was  just squeezed out.

Rutledge then went off, and was replaced by Nelson on 73 minutes.

Quakers shouted for a penalty on 78 minutes when Main seemed to be bundled off the ball in the area, but the referee waved play on.

Quakers gained some breathing space on 81 minutes with the second. Main picked the ball up about 40 yards out, dribbled past four defenders into the box, and as the keeper challenged, laid the ball on a plate for Salkeld to tap in his eighth goal of the season.

But Warrington pulled a goal back almost straight away when McDonald turned in a right wing cross from Woods from six yards out.

The goal gave them a boost, and they nearly levelled when Grivosti crossed from the left for  Buckley-Ricketts to head wide.

But it was all over in stoppage time when Main sent Salkeld running through, and he knocked the ball past the keeper for the third.

Team: Young, Hedley, Lees, Lawlor, Barrow, Platt, Liddle (sub Hatfield 62), Rivers (sub Cornish 62), Salkeld, Main, Rutledge (sub Nelson 73)

Subs: Griffiths,  Curry,

Booking: Hedley, Barrow, Platt

Warrington

Atherton, Walker, White, Hannigan, Gumbs, Woods, Williams, Amis, McDonald, Buckley-Ricketts, Clarke

Subs: O'Keefe, Pasiek, Eze, Wisdom, Grivosti