Quakers crash at Crewe

The optimism created by Tuesday's shock win at Rotherham evaporated at Crewe today as Darlington were thumped 3-0. All the goals came in a first half during which Quakers' defence opened up time after time, and it was no surprise when the hosts took the lead on 24 minutes. There was no way back for Steve Staunton's side who, for the most part, failed to recapture the form that brought them victory over the promotion-chasing Millers in midweek. So it as you were for bottom of the table Darlington, who remain 14 points adrift of safety due to several of their relegation rivals also losing. The warning signs were there from an early stage. In only the second minute Calvin Zola thundered a volley against Quakers' crossbar after the ball fell to him following a corner. The striker, returning to action after missing two matches with an eye injury, saw the ball fall to him in space but fortunately for Darlington the ex-Newcastle trainee's 12-yard effort rebounded off the woodwork and Quakers were able to clear. The corner had been conceded by Paul Arnison who kept his place in an unchanged team, meaning Irish right-back Simon Madden was on the bench. He had been suspended for the win at Rotherham, which represented Quakers' first away win of the season. They hoped to make it win number two at Gresty Road, but ten minutes after Zola struck the bar, so too did fellow striker Clayton Donaldson. He took advantage of an Ian Miller slip, allowing the Crewe forward a run at goal but keeper Nick Liversedge managed to tip the powerful 18-yard strike on to the top of the crossbar. It was a second let-off for Darlington, and from the resulting corner they were handed another when Crewe defender Mat Mitchel-King blazed over after Liversedge had fumbled a cross, and not for the last time today. Mitchel-King limped off through injury on 23 minutes, but the goal that Crewe had been threatening came 60 seconds later with Zola scoring. His 15th goal of the season could not have been easier. Following a Crewe corner, Zola tapped in to an empty net from close-range after Donaldson's deft effort had been deflected into his path by Liversedge. In the build-up to the goal, Arnison had cleared the ball off the line but Crewe quickly returned the ball into the danger area for Zola to open the scoring. Just six minutes later it was 2-0 with Joel Grant, on his return from injury, finding the net. The forward found himself unmarked at the far post to meet a ball from the right after both Miller and Alan White had been unable to deal with Crewe's pacey forwards, Zola and Donaldson. And there was worse to come. On 34 minutes it became 3-0 with Zola again scoring, taking advantage of Darlington's poor defending. A left-wing cross appeared harmless, but an unmarked Zola headed home from eight yards to effectively seal the points before half-time whistle had been blown. Darlington were in disarray, the defending hugely inadequate and suddenly Tuesday's moral-boosting victory at Rotherham seemed a long time ago. Staunton used all his substitutions at the break, hauling off Arnison, Jeff Smith and Gary Smith with Madden, Josh Gray and Patrick Dean being sent on. The early stages of the second half were comparatively tame with neither side troubling the keeper, Crewe perhaps choosing not to go forward and Darlington unable to. The half-time changes saw Tadhg Purcell switches to right-wing, with Gareth Waite moving to a central role, but it was right-back Madden who was first to deliver a dangerous cross. The right-back whipped the ball in from deep, but it evaded a clutch of Quakers players in the penalty are and the chance was soon gone. Liversedge had had little to for the bulk of the second period, but he was shaping up to deal with a shot from Crewe sub Shaun Miller on the hour. After being played in with a ball up the left channel by Grant, Miller was heading for goal until White appeared with a tremendously timed tackle. Miller did some thing similar to the same player soon after, but not before Mor Diop had rolled wide Darlington's best chance of the day. On 65 minutes the Paris-born striker latched on to a long forward pass and held off two defenders on the edge of the penalty area but fired his placed effort narrowly wide. Deane showed his frustration, feeling Diop should have laid the ball off to him. Darlington did marginally improve in the second half with Waite impressing in midfield, but the rarely called Crewe keeper Steve Phillips into action. At the other end, Liversedge had to be alert when he raced off his line to collect a low ball played through the middle, but he was fouled by the onrushing Miller. The striker was correctly booked for his dangerous tackle, though some home fans barracked referee Andy Woolmer for showing a yellow card. It proved to be the last action of a lacklustre second half which fizzled to a close. The damage had been done before the break, and now Quakers' attentions turns to Tuesday's home game with Northampton Town. Goals: Zola (24, 1-0), Grant (30, 2-0), Zola (34, 3-0) Booking: Miller (86, foul) Referee: Karl Woolmer (Northamptonshire) Attendance: 3,717 Crewe (4-4-2): Phillips, Brayford, O'Donnell, Mitchel-King (Worley 23), Tootle, Westwood, Schumacher, Grant (Shelley 81), Walton; Donaldson (Miller 61), Zola. Subs: Legzdins (gk), Moore, Murphy, Martin Darlington (4-4-2): Liversedge; Arnison (Madden 45), White, Miller, Giddings; Waite, Dempsey, G Smith (Dean 45), J Smith (Gray 45); Diop, Purcell. Subs (not used): Jones (gk), Foster, Mulligan, Main

Source: Northern_Echo