Source: Northern_Echo
Wembley reward for long-suffering fans
What a difference a year can make.[LNB] Twelve months ago today Darlington sacked Steve Staunton with the club at its lowest ebb following a home defeat to Barnet which left them bottom of League Two and hurtling inexorably towards the Blue Square Bet Premier.[LNB] It was a thoroughly miserable period. Administration, relegation and a series of destabilising managerial changes all contributed to a sense that things could not get any worse.[LNB] Supporters have had to put up with so much, but one year on and they have their reward. The club is going to Wembley. Once more there is a smile on fans' faces as they look forward to the FA Trophy final against Mansfield Town on May 7.[LNB] A scoreless draw on Saturday at Gateshead was the result of Mark Cooper's well-organised team being defensively resolute throughout the second leg.[LNB] Keeping goalkeeper Sam Russell protected meant the previous week's 3-2 first leg home win was sufficient to earn an aggregate victory. Never in the club's history has a goalless draw been greeted with such delight.[LNB] The vociferous following from Darlington of 2,449 - 1,000 more than attended that Barnet match - constituted almost half of the total 5,156 attendance and demonstrated there is again a buzz about a club.[LNB] There remains serious question marks with the issue of stadium ownership still to be resolved, while chairman Raj Singh recently said he wants to sell 2,000 adult season tickets by the end of this month or else. Plus, Cooper is out of contract at the end of the season.[LNB] On Saturday, however, such weighty matters were the last thing on anybody's mind.[LNB] "The fans were fantastic, they were brilliant," said Cooper. "They were outstanding and I think you could see that the players appreciated it because you could see that in their reaction at the end.[LNB] "If all those fans could come every week it would be brilliant."[LNB] Russell added: "When that final whistle went it was probably the best feeling I've ever had as a footballer, it was fantastic.[LNB] "The fans haven't had much to shout about over the last couple of years, the same for most of the players, so to get to Wembley is fantastic.[LNB] "There were 2,500 Darlington fans here, you do dream of getting to Wembley so this is a dream come true."[LNB] Russell and team-mates joined the supporters when the final whistle blew which released an explosion of both delight and relief that the tension was all over.[LNB] The 90 minutes at the International Stadium were incredibly tense and as a result the quality of football was not high. That, though, with the prize being Wembley, hardly mattered.[LNB] Cooper admitted: "I can honestly say that I didn't enjoy a single minute of that.[LNB] "I've been nervous since I got up at 8am this morning, I think I knew it was going to be like that, I've been nervous all day and I'm just delighted that it's all over.[LNB] "The fans can go back to Darlington celebrating knowing that we've got a final at Wembley to come."[LNB] Cooper says his players were also nervous and that may be why Darlington were second best in the first half.[LNB] As his side struggled to mount many serious attacks, Gateshead saw much more of the ball as they pushed to bring the tie level.[LNB] Tenacious winger Adam Rundle blasted across goal, after dribbling past Paul Arnison and Aman Verma, with his delivery just inches away from Kris Gate who ended up in the net as he raced to meet the cross-shot.[LNB] Just before the break Gateshead midfielder Phil Turnbull burst into the penalty area before being stopped by Dan Burn's magnificent sliding tackle as he was about to deliver a cross.[LNB] That gave the Heed their sixth corner to Quakers' one in the first 45 minutes, the hosts putting the Darlington defence under continued pressure, but Ian Miller and Burn were equal to the task.[LNB] Their stout defending meant Gateshead, for all their first half possession, did not test Russell, though Quakers came closest to scoring with Liam Hatch heading against the bar from a trademark Aaron Brown free-kick.[LNB] Cooper said: "In the first half we were rubbish and I had a bit of a go at the players at half-time and rattled a few cages because Gateshead were far better than us without creating any clear chances.[LNB] "I think our players were nervous. I said to them at half-time, 'you look like rabbits caught in the headlights'.[LNB] "We didn't think James Curtis [Gateshead centre-back] was fully fit and we wanted to get balls down the side of him, but we didn't test him early on.[LNB] "Apart from our two centre-backs and Hatchy we were weren't very good in the first half, but five or six of them stepped up their game in the second half.[LNB] "The players responded really well in the second half and we saw it out comfortably."[LNB] They did that alright, with Darlington much-improved in the second period which began with John Campbell and Gary Smith both firing wide from inside the penalty area.[LNB] Campbell, however, looked rusty in his first game back after missing eight matches with a broken hand. He was, perhaps, too keen to impress against a club he played for briefly after being released by Manchester City as a youngster.[LNB] Although Quakers were hardly pressed in the second 45 minutes, their propensity for conceding late goals and throwing away leads, something they did a fine job of at Gateshead in the league two weeks ago, meant nobody can say they were confident.[LNB] And when the otherwise outstanding Jamie Chandler let the ball drop behind him which allowed in striker Jon Shaw, a demoralising equaliser appeared inevitable.[LNB] Shaw latched on to the ball and was about to shoot from eight yards when suddenly Miller executed a fine tackle to prevent Gateshead from levelling the tie.[LNB] "It was a great challenge," said Russell. "I thought he was through and about to shoot so I'd have to deal with it, but it was a last-ditch tackle and that's the kind of performance you need in a semi-final.[LNB] "Them sort of tackles get you to Wembley."[LNB] In something of a role-reversal, by the 75th minute Darlington had forced five corners after the break with Gateshead's first of the second period resulting in left-back Michael Liddle having a shot that went out for a throw-in.[LNB] It was that sort of day for a powder-puff Gateshead. Striker Nathan Fisher and Rundle had terrorised Quakers in the first leg, but they had little impact on Saturday and manager Ian Bogie cannot have been satisfied with his team's lifeless display.[LNB] With Darlington continuing to stand firm, Bogie's team were even unable to mount a late push for a goal.[LNB] It was referee Mark Heywood who gave Darlington more to worry about as, despite signalling there would be four minutes of injury time, he played over six - it was excruciating for Quakers, but Heywood seemed intent on giving Gateshead one last chance.[LNB] They got one too as the ball pinged around Darlington's penalty area as they struggled to clear, Fisher fired an effort into the ground that Russell plucked with ease from under the crossbar and soon after Heywood, eventually, called it a day.[LNB] Hundreds of ecstatic supporters spilled on to the pitch to celebrate with the players, fans favourite Chandler leaving the field clutching a Quakers flag.[LNB] Having played for most of the game with a broken hand following a first half collision, Chandler was one of the day's heroes, but everyone came out of the day with credit.[LNB] Such moments are rare with Darlington, so it was especially sweet for the 1,500 or so hardcore few, particularly those 432 that attended the first round win over Tamworth in December.[LNB] They have suffered more than most other football fans in recent years. But Darlington are going to Wembley now, this one's for them.[LNB]
