Source: Northern_Echo
Quakers suffer heavy defeat at title-chasing Luton
Darlington'S hopes of reaching the play-offs sustained a severe blow last night when they were suffered their heaviest reverse of the campaign at title-chasing Luton Town.[LNB] The result ended Quakers' six-match unbeaten run in emphatic fashion and leaves Mark Cooper's team in 13th, 12 points adrift of fifth-placed Fleetwood with three games in hand. For long periods at Kenilworth Road, Darlington threatened to become the first team to prevent Luton from scoring at home in the league this season but four goals in 22 second-half minutes from Claude Gnakpa, Lloyd Owusu's double and Alex Lawless condemned the visitors to a defeat which may have flattered the Hatters slightly.[LNB] Cooper had few complaints, though, and questioned the performance of several of his side, saying: "The scoreline hurts me but what's more important is how much it hurts the players. There wasn't a great deal in the game until the first goal but we need more from our so-called better players. Our so-called better players didn't perform, like they didn't against Mansfield, and we need more from them."[LNB] The only bright point of the night, Cooper conceded, was the performance of John Campbell, who made his debut after signing from Newcastle Benfield on Monday.[LNB] "Our best player by a hundred miles was John Campbell. It was an encouraging debut and he will only get better. It's sad for us that he was our best performer on his debut and with the players we've got, they should be giving us far more than that." Campbell had little opportunity throughout, however, to show why he had scored 25 goals in the Northern League season as the Hatters pinned Darlington back. Their first sight of goal arrived inside four minutes when Owusu, unmarked, headed Lawless's corner over the crossbar. That was one of three aerial efforts on Sam Russell's goal in the early stages, the second of which came after Adam Quinn's sliding challenge prevented right-back Dan Gleeson from getting a shot away.[LNB] From the ensuing corner, Zdenek Kroca forced Russell to tip over and seconds later Owusu nodded wide.[LNB] On a pitch which was at best sticky, Quakers were finding the going difficult against a pacy and physical side who are chasing Wimbledon and Crawley Town hard for the title. Gnakpa then squandered the clearest opening of the first half on 20 minutes, directing Howells's inviting centre too high, and at that stage the 77 travelling supporters behind Russell's goal might have feared that the opener was not long in coming for the hosts.[LNB] Darlington's sole effort on goal in the opening first period came via Marc Bridge-Wilkinson, whose seized on a loose ball in the area and shot across goal, but soon after Russell was again required to turn away Gnapka's bouncing effort from underneath the crossbar.[LNB] Along with Campbell, Paul Arnison was the other change to the team which drew 0-0 with Mansfield Town a week earlier, and it was the right-back who was first in the book for a rather cynical block on former Darlington target Amari Morgan-Smith on the halfway line.[LNB] The early stages of the second period coincided with a spell of Quakers possession but despite the industry of ex-Luton loanee Liam Hatch and Campbell, Tyler had yet to make a save in anger.[LNB] The near 6,000-strong crowd were becoming increasingly restless as time ticked away but they had need not have feared for Gnakpa, with space to advance into, drilled a low shot past Russell on 68 minutes.[LNB] One would soon have become two had Russell not blocked Gleeson's near-post effort, while soon after Gnakpa who scored in the 2-2 draw at The Northern Echo Arena in September squandered a one on one with Russell having outmuscled Aaron Brown.[LNB] More goals were not long in coming, though. Owusu, receiving Howells's low ball into the box, turned a fired across Russell with 16 minutes remaining, before delicately guiding Gnakpa's cross into the corner. Lawless completed a miserable night in added time when he had time and space to beat Russell.[LNB]
