MAKING a good first impression can never be a bad thing, taking that first opportunity to show what you’re made of, and that’s what Darlington achieved on Saturday in front of their new management team.

Aware their new gaffer was looking on, they wasted little time in impressing Tommy Wright and Alan White, beating Bradford Park Avenue 2-1 at a wet and windy Blackwell Meadows.

In fact, so eager were they that it took them just 92 seconds to open the scoring.

It was so early that the new boss missed it due to still making his way to the Blackwell balcony having been introduced to supporters on the pitch moments before kick-off.

Wright and White were warmly welcomed on their return, two Darlington heroes of yesteryear, friends reunited ten years since becoming team-mates at The Northern Echo Arena.

While not watching the match they spent much of the day talking to enthusiastic fans, shaking hands and posing for selfies.

The club and fans have been buoyed by Friday’s appointment of a management pairing desperate to be at the club – this is not just another job for them – and a badly-needed win was the ideal way to start a new era.

Their first game in the dugout will be this weekend at Blyth Spartans, Phil Turnbull and Gary Brown having taken charge on Saturday for the final time and the popular duo savoured victory.

They shared an embrace at full-time after what was their third game as caretaker managers and a first win following one draw and one defeat, the loss being seven days previously at Wright’s Nuneaton Town.

“The players knew that there was someone here to impress, so they probably did give that little bit extra,” said Turnbull.

“A lot of the lads made a good first impression.”

“And for the managers to see their first win is brilliant. It takes the pressure off for the next game.”

Brown was similarly effusive. “The lads were unbelievable today” he said. “They stuck to the task. Me and Phil set them up and they did everything to the letter.

“We corrected what we got wrong last week, which was the first ten minutes of each half, and the rest of the game took care of itself.”

Unlike at Nuneaton, when Quakers conceded in the first ten minutes of each half, on Saturday they scored goals at the beginning in each of the 45 minutes, though the identity of the first scorer was subject to debate.

A move involving Josh Gillies and Dave Syers led to overlapping left-back Leon Scott crossing from the byline, Nathan Cartman getting the faintest of touches but not enough to direct it goalwards.

Instead, Bradford left-back Graham Kelly got himself in a tangle and managed to record an own goal, despite Cartman vehemently protesting otherwise.

“He’s not having that, not at all, that was definitely an own goal,” was Brown’s verdict. “But it was brave of Carts to dive in with his head because their player could’ve taken his head off with a boot.

“We got a bit of fortune which we’ve lacked in recent weeks.”

There were chances at either end during the remainder of the half as the teams battled against each other as well as the conditions, a blustery wind and persistent rain making for a test of character.

Turnbull saw a shot diverted wide and Stephen Thompson tested Bradford goalkeeper Ed Hall with a low drive.

Bradford boss Mark Bower said: “I think we dominated 75 per cent of the game. We had more than enough chances to win but we weren’t ruthless enough in front of goal.

“When we dominate like we did and lose, we’ve only got ourselves to blame.”

Bradford did not dominate, but they did have their moments, particularly when striker Adam Boyes spurned a good chance when he volleyed wide.

Darlington made them pay ten minutes into the second half when Gillies scored direct from a free-kick, though it could hardly be described as intentional.

Taken from close to the byline after Thompson had been fouled, Gillies whipped it towards a clutch of jostling bodies, yet it bounced inside the far post to give Quakers a 2-0 lead.

They did not look like relinquishing it for the remainder of the game until the dying stages when Bradford suddenly made a game of it and came very close to snatching a point as Quakers panicked.

Oli Johnson scored a header in the final minute after a Nicky Boshell cross, Adam Bartlett made a fine save and deep into added time Javan Vidal hit the bar from six yards.

It was poor miss and another moment of fortune for Darlington, who are now tenth in the table after only their second win in 13 league matches.

Brown explained: “If you’re getting beat 2-0 and you manage to claw one back, it gives you a lift and it does the total opposite for the other team. A little bit of panic can set in and you stop doing what you’ve been doing for the rest of the game, and that’s exactly what happened at the end.

“But the lads dug in and our shape off the ball was unbelievable, so we fully deserved the three points.”

He added: “Tommy came in the changing rooms afterwards and said well done and he’s pleased with the template he’s got to work with now.

“The lads can’t wait to start working for those two, because we’ll fit in well with their plans.

“The play-offs are their ambition. They would not have come otherwise. It’s the players’ ambition and the club’s ambition, so we’ll get stuck in together.

“We’ve never failed to reach our target in the five years, I don’t see why this season will be any different.”