Source: Northern_Echo
Quakers win five-goal thriller
Darlington will take a one-goal lead into next week's second leg of the FA Trophy semi-finals with Gateshead after a thrilling contest at The Northern Echo Arena today in which came overturned a two-goal deficit.[LNB] Darlington will take a one-goal lead into next week's second leg of the FA Trophy semi-finals with Gateshead after a thrilling contest at The Northern Echo Arena today in which came overturned a two-goal deficit.[LNB] Quakers were left stunned when the Heed took a two-goal lead before half-time, but Mark Cooper's side impressively fought back in front of the largest crowd of the season to clinch victory.[LNB] A total of 4,243 were in attendance, but it was 1,085 from Gateshead who were had cause for celebration when strikes from two players with Darlington connections, Nathan Fisher and Adam Rundle, put them in the driving seat.[LNB] Richmond-born Fisher, who was a Quakers season ticket holder at Feethams, put Gateshead ahead on 21 minutes after pouncing on slack defending.[LNB] A ball was fired over from the right, but Darlington right-back Paul Arnison was not able to clear and that allowed Fisher to pounce from the edge of the penalty area.[LNB] The goal stunned Quakers who had started brightly with Aman Verma having a goal ruled out for offside and Marc Bridge-Wilkinson missing a golden opportunity when he put the ball wide after Heed keeper Paul Farman had lost a tackle outside his penalty area. [LNB] Once Heed were in the lead the Tynesiders looked more assured, preventing Quakers from creating much of note for the remainder of the half aside from an acrobatic Chris Senior effort and a long-range Verma striker.[LNB] Both were off target, but Quakers keeper Sam Russell had to be at full-strength to tip over a Rundle header. But, from the resulting corner, Rundle blasted his team's second goal after Jamie Chandler had cleared Jon Shaw's header off the line.[LNB] The 2-0 half-time scoreline mirrored the teams' league meeting on Tuesday at the International Stadium when Darlington led at the halfway stage, but today it was Cooper's team who battled back.[LNB] Though the fightback was only possible after Gateshead's Kris Gate put the ball wide within 90 seconds of the restart when he latched on to a cross by James Tavernier, the impressive right-back on loan from Newcastle.[LNB] It was game on when Bridge-Wilkinson pulled one back on 56 minutes, his 11th goal in 25 games.[LNB] Whereas his strike last Tuesday owed much to a goalkeeping howler from Tim Deasy, who did not play today due to injury, the former Carlisle's play-maker's effort came in part to a good advantage played by referee Carl Boyeson.[LNB] He played on when the Heed's Carl Jones committed himself to a crunching challenge on Liam Hatch, but the ball span into Bridge-Wilkinson's path who took the ball past keeper Paul Farman before tapping into the net.[LNB] Buoyed by the goal and with Gateshead clearly rattled, Darlington's supporters were soon in full voice as they sensed the comeback was possible.[LNB] Farman did well to tip a Gary Smith header wide, Bridge-Wilkinson was narrowly off target with a free-kick before the same player lifted a shot over the bar after quick footwork in the penalty area by Verma as the pressure mounted.[LNB] The equaliser finally came on with 15 minutes to go with Hatch heading home his 12th goal of the season from an Aaron Brown free-kick, with the set-piece being won in similar fashion to last Tuesday.[LNB] When Ian Miller scored in the 2-2 draw his close-range goal came via a Brown free-kick after Gateshead's Ben Clark had conceded a needless foul on Quakers' right-wing, and the former Hartlepool defender's lack of pace cost him again today.[LNB] This time he scythed down sub Nathan Modest, on for Senior, and from Brown's delivery Hatch firmly headed beyond Farman to make it 2-2 and set-up a tense finish.[LNB] Gateshead, though, looked a spent force and just six minutes later Hatch added his second and again a Heed defender had a role to play, this time Jones' losing possession inside his own half when attempting to cut-out Bridge-Wilkinson's forward pass.[LNB] Jones' error was pounced on by Hatch who drove forward before despatching the ball beyond Farman, sparking huge celebrations among the Darlington fans.[LNB] Cooper, however, was quick to offer his players and the supporters a reminder that the tie only at its halfway point and that Quakers only hold a one-goal advantage.[LNB] No matter, Darlington will be backed by a huge travelling support when the teams meet in the second leg at Gateshead next weekend.[LNB] [LNB] Goals: Fisher (21, 0-1), Rundle (43, 0-2); Bridge-Wilkinson (56, 1-2), Hatch (75, 2-2), Hatch (81, 3-2)[LNB] Bookings: Chandler (62, foul); Clark (75, foul)[LNB] Referee: Carl Boyeson (Hull)[LNB] Attendance: 4,243 (1,092 visitors)[LNB] Entertainment: *****[LNB] Darlington (4-1-2-1-2): Russell; Arnison, Miller, Burn, Brown; Chandler; Verma, G Smith; Bridge-Wilkinson (Main 90); Senior (Modest 55), Hatch (Wright 86). Subs 9not used): St Louis-Hamilton (gk), P Gray.[LNB] Gateshead (4-4-2): Farman; Tavernier, Jones, Clark, Liddle; Brittain (Marwood 85), Turnbull, Gate, Rundle (Nelthorpe 71); Shaw (Offiong 73), Fisher. Subs (not used): Ball (gk), Baxter.[LNB] [LNB]
