Source: Northern_Echo
Darlington's fifth consecutive defeat
The Blue Square Premier is more likely than ever for desperate Darlington after they sank to a fifth consecutive defeat at home to Torquay United.[LNB] The Gulls had won away from home this season only once but they doubled that tally thanks to wining a dull match 3-1 but neither side did enough to deserve three points.[LNB] Lacking in creativity and quality, the match was entirely forgettable but Torquay will be pleased with a win that means they are now nine points ahead of the relegation zone.[LNB] Quakers, however, remain rock-bottom. Steve Staunton's side 16 points adrift of safety but Grimsby's win today means Darlington are 12 points adrift of second bottom.[LNB] That likelihood of bridging that gap diminish with every defeat and another was on the cards today from as early as the tenth minute when Torquay took the lead.[LNB] From the first corner of the day, taken by Nicky Wroe, Mark Ellis lashed home at the second attempt after his header had been blocked but questions will be asked of Darlington's defending.[LNB] How Ellis was able to pounce on the loose ball was a cause for concern, though two minutes earlier Quakers' Gareth Waite has missed a golden opportunity for the first goal.[LNB] Tadgh Purcell had teed him up, but the former Spennymoor Town midfielder could only shoot directly at the keeper.[LNB] Staunton was using a 3-5-2 formation which saw Stuart Giddings and Simon Madden utilised as wing-backs while teenager Dan Burn was recalled to play as centre-back alongside Alan White and Ian Miller.[LNB] It was Giddings who came close to creating an equaliser, swinging over a cross that Ross Chisholm got on the end of but the midfielder, making his fist start, headed his chance straight at keeper Scott Bevan.[LNB] That proved to be one of the few noteworthy moments during a dull first 45 minutes. There were few scoring chances for either side although Purcell did create one of his own, turning and shooting straight at keeper from the edge of the area.[LNB] Darlington made half-hearted penalty appeals on 41 minutes after a Purcell shot was blocked by Lee Mansell, with Staunton claiming a hand had been used.[LNB] But the half was brought to a close with a second Torquay goal and it was in keeping with the half: entirely lacking in quality.[LNB] Winger Eunan O'Kane cut inside from the right and dribbled unchallenged for 30 yards before miss-hitting a tame shot that, via a deflection, crept past keeper Shane Redmond.[LNB] O'Kane's goal had made it 2-0 in an utterly uninspiring game and The Northern Echo Arena fell silent, not even any jeers. Perhaps that was the moment that all concerned accepted that relegation is now a formality.[LNB] However, teenage striker Curtis Main pulled a goal back from close-range on 54 minutes. A cross by Waite, on the left, was diverted past Bevan and allowed Main a tap-in.[LNB] It was the start to the half that Darlington needed, though three minutes earlier Main had nicked the ball away from Lathaniel Rowe-Turner but the young striker lashed high and wide of goal from 18 yards.[LNB] With most of the second half still to play, Darlington perhaps hoped they could perform the reverse of previous home results by turning a losing position into a winning one.[LNB] But thereafter Bevan was rarely troubled and at the other end Gulls sub Mustapha Carayol cut inside from the left on a counter-attack and unleashed a powerful effort that Redmond stopped without too much fuss.[LNB] Quakers showed some fight though. After receiving a throw on the left, Burn cut inside and unleashed a low shot that rolled wide. He did not look likely to score but at least his effort demonstrated the youngster's confidence to have a pop at goal.[LNB] On 77 minutes Staunton made a double change, taking off Waite and Main with strikers Patrick Deane and Mor Diop sent on in the hope of salvaging a point.[LNB] But neither came close to making a major impact and it was Carayol who spurned he next opportunity, almost capitilising on a Chisholm mistake.[LNB] The Scott's poor touch in his own half handed possession to Torquay and Carayol glided through Darlington's defence but the sub mis-hit his hot which sailed over the goal.[LNB] A goal then would have sealed victory for Paul Buckle's side, which is exactly what Carayol did when he had another opportunity on 85 minutes.[LNB] Chris Zebroki's right-wing cross to the far post found Carayol who held off Madden to blast home and condemn Darlington to defeat, but it almost got worse in injury time.[LNB] Carayol, that man again, ran at White before side-stepping the defender but the sub lashed his shot over the bar.[LNB] It was not to matter. Whether it had finished 3-1 or 4-1, the outlook could not be bleaker for Darlington who have 15 games remaining in which they need to conjure up a miracle to avoid relegation.[LNB] * After the game Staunton revealed that he next week expects to sign Whitley Bay winger Chris Moore.[LNB] Goals:[LNB] 0-1: Ellis (10, lashed home from close-range after a corner)[LNB] 0-2: O'Kane (45, scuffed shot into net from 18 yards)[LNB] 1-2: Main (54, tap-in after Waite's left-wing cross)[LNB] 1-3: Carayol (85, far post finish following Zebroski's right-wing cross)[LNB] Bookings: Barnes (31, foul); White (48, foul); Mansell (66, dissent)[LNB] Referee: Scott Mathieson (Stockport)[LNB] Attendance: 1,819[LNB] Darlington (3-5-2): Redmond, Miller, White, Burn (Gray 80), Madden, Chisholm, Waite (Deane 77), Dempsey, Giddings, Purcell, Main (Diop 77). Subs not used: Liversedge (gk), Milne, G Smith, Groves, Mulligan[LNB] Torquay United (4-4-2): Bevan, Robertson, Ellis, Branston, Rowe-Turner, O'Kane (Rendell 79), Mansell, Thompson (Benyon 68), Wroe, Zebroski, Barnes (Carayol 55). Subs not used: Searle, Nicholson, Stevens, Smith[LNB]
