Source: Northern_Echo
Burton Albion 1 Darlington 2
Burton Albion 1 Darlington 2[LNB] FIRST impressions count, so they say, and Simon Davey has wasted little time in mounting a charm offensive at Darlington.[LNB] Unveiled as the club's new manager on Thursday, he immediately made much of restoring a feelgood factor to a club in desperate need of a morale boost.[LNB] A positive approach was required and Davey followed it up on Saturday at Burton Albion by overseeing a 2-1 victory which started and finished with him applauding the appreciative travelling supporters.[LNB] Textbook stuff from the new man.[LNB] Relegation remains a near certainty but in the remaining nine matches of this campaign Davey intends to continue offering reasons to be optimistic.[LNB] It was nice to get back into it the dug-out and the lads were fantastic. It was a thoroughly deserved win and the supporters were superb so it's a pat on the back for everybody,[LNB] said Davey, who was sacked by Barnsley just over seven months ago.[LNB] We had said that we've got ten games left, let's give it a go for these last ten and try and win them all. The statistics tell you that it's going to be very difficult to win those games, we'd only won five before today.[LNB] But we're not resigned to anything. We're going to fight to the last minute of the last game.[LNB] We look as if we're going to go down but my job is to make sure the players view the last few games as a ten-game league, and let's go and win that league.[LNB] The players are buoyant after today's win which makes it two out of two, now we want to make it three in a row.[LNB] The third, hopes Davey, will be at home to Hereford United today while the first was last week's surprise victory at Shrewsbury, when youth team coach Craig Liddle was in caretaker charge.[LNB] Quakers continued last Saturday's form, though only after Greg Pearson had hit the post after 70 seconds.[LNB] Davey's hard-working side soon took command. They won their battles in midfield and the defence remained solid while mid-table Burton were unable to stop wingers Chris Moore and Josh Gray.[LNB] Davey and assistant Ryan Kidd made notes throughout, scribbling their own first impressions and on 12 minutes they might have written what was Staunton thinking' when Paul Arnison played a perfectly-weighted pass to Chris Moore.[LNB] The jet-heeled winger crossed for Gary Smith who should have done better than to head over.[LNB] Arnison, of course, was among the senior players that previous manager Steve Staunton banished to the youth team when the firstteam need such experience.[LNB] Protégés such as striker Curtis Main and Gray need guidance as they develop, though they created the first goal under Davey themselves on 22 minutes.[LNB] The winger lashed home from 18 yards after being played in by Main for what was a sweet moment for the club's youth set-up.[LNB] At 34, Alan White is well past being a protégé, but just after the half hour mark he took advantage of sloppy marking to head home Smith's corner.[LNB] At 2-0 up Quakers were cruising until first half injury time when Pearson reacted to Arnison's challenge with an enthusiastic dive in the penalty area.[LNB] Pearson scored the resultant spot-kick, though shortly after the restart referee Jock Waugh infuriated Darlington when he failed to award a penalty despite Burton sub Michael Simpson using a hand to block White's header on the goal-line.[LNB] While a red card and a penalty are ordinarily the outcome in such situations, Waugh waved play on and further frustrated Quakers with an incredible explanation.[LNB] The referee apologised to the lads for not giving it, he thought we were going to put the rebound in, fumed Davey.[LNB] Decisions like that can cost managers their job and club's their league status.[LNB] Fortunately the scoreline remained unaltered, though only after a resilient Darlington had to withstand considerable pressure.[LNB] The second half saw the hosts on top for large spells but wasteful finishing and two excellent saves from keeper Shane Redmond, particularly an acrobatic tip over the bar from Steve Kabba, ensured Quakers enjoyed a third double of the season.[LNB] Remarkably, their six wins have come against the same three teams: Rotherham, Shrewsbury and now Burton.[LNB] Davey added: The best places for me are on the training ground and in the dug-out.[LNB] I've been not working for nearly seven months but I felt at home straight away.[LNB] It's been nice watching other managers pull their hair out and lose their voices, but I love this job, so does Ryan, and we're back where we belong.[LNB] Match facts Goals:[LNB] 0-1: Gray (22, low finish from 18 yards after receiving Main flick-on)[LNB] 0-2: White (32, met G Smith's corner with a near post header)[LNB] 1-2: Pearson (45, penalty despatched low to keeper's right)[LNB] Bookings: G Smith (2, foul), Dempsey (40, foul), Main (50, obstruction)[LNB] Referee: Jock Waugh (Sheffield) Incorrectly decided not to award Darlington a penalty for handball in a game in which he gave Davey's side very little 4[LNB] Attendance: 2,779[LNB] Entertainment: [LNB] BURTON ALBION (4-4-2):[LNB] Krysiak 5; Corbett 6, Parkes 6, James 6, Boertien 6; TAYLOR 7, McGrath 5 (Gilroy 73), Penn 7, Phillips 5 (Simpson 36, 6); Pearson 7, Harrad 6 (Kabba 63, 6). Subs (not used): Poole (gk), Webster, Boco, Kelly[LNB] DARLINGTON (4-4-2):[LNB] 7 Redmond: Three excellent saves from the Irishman who was playing against the club he started the season with;[LNB] 7 Arnison: Unfortunate to concede the penalty in an otherwise reliable display[LNB] 8 WHITE: Scored the winner and would have had another were it not for a handball on the line[LNB] 7 Miller: Out-muscled in the build-up to Burton winning their 45th minute penalty[LNB] 6 Milne: Kept occupied in the second half by Taylor who caused problems;[LNB] 7 Moore: His electric pace and crossing ability makes it a mystery how he drifted into non-league[LNB] 7 G Smith: Enjoying his best form of the season and it was from his corner that White notched[LNB] 7 Dempsey: A first half foul, which received a booking, was necessary as Burton could have scored[LNB] 7 Gray: Tired in the second half but deserved his longawaited first goal, a cracking finish;[LNB] 6 Purcell: Didn't see much of goal but demonstrated his value with whole-hearted commitment[LNB] 6 Main: Recalled due to Diop's hamstring injury and teed up Gray for his goal[LNB] Subs:[LNB] Convery (for Main 89) (not used): Liversedge (gk), Groves, Byrne, Madden, Mulligan, M Smith MAN OF THE MATCH[LNB] ALAN White good to see the Darlington-born defender back on the scoresheet.[LNB]
