Darlington 2 Blyth Spartans 1

SIX points in three days made it a triumphant weekend for Darlington and a remarkable one for veteran defender-turned-forward Alan White.

At the age of 39-years-old he has been asked by manager Martin Gray to play as a striker for the first in his life, but yesterday he came off the bench to bag the winner in a competitive contest with Blyth Spartans.

Whereas on Saturday he used his head to score twice in a 4-2 win at Colwyn Bay, something not beyond most centre-backs, yesterday’s goal was of a quality more befitting one of his attack-minded team-mates.

A sublime finish from 16 yards with his weaker foot gave Darlington three points, following Stephen Thompson’s equaliser, as Quakers completed a terrific comeback.

They had been 1-0 down to a Chris Hunter own goal just after half-time, before Gray showed his tactical nous by changing formation and personnel with the outcome being three points which lift Quakers to third.

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They are a point behind joint-top Blyth and Matlock, and Gray admitted: “I’m not getting carried away, it is only three points, but it is a massive three points.

“Blyth are a good outfit. They’re well-organised and have been in this league for a long time and the majority of their team has probably been together for two seasons.”

On White’s heroics, Gray added: “He’s honest and you know what you’re going to get from Alan White wherever you play him. He’s a handful to play against, he uses his experience by helping the lads you while he’s out there.

“You know he’s not going to play every game because of his age, but he’s so effective for the squad and he’s had a great weekend and so have the rest of the squad.

“We had eight hours travelling on the coach on Saturday to north Wales and to then put in a hard-working performance against the top of the league team who had not been beaten, I’m absolutely delighted.”

White started on the bench, one of four former Blyth players in Quakers’ squad, including Graeme Armstrong who was the only change to Darlington’s line-up for a game that was evenly-contested during the first 45 minutes.

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Clear scoring chances were few, though not for the want of trying. Each defence had to work hard to repel the respective attacks of two sides, who drew 0-0 at Heritage Park last season in the FA Cup.

Referee Barry Gordon managed to book five players in each half, seven of them for Blyth, despite there being little call for such action.

“There was not one bad challenge,” said Gray. “It was a derby, lots of challenges, so the game could’ve been managed better.

“The challenge on Stephen Turnbull, I thought it should’ve been our free-kick. He ended up getting himself hurt. I’d said in my team talk that it was important to stop him because he has got a lot to offer.”

Darlington winger Anthony Bell went in the book for his foul on Turnbull, twin brother of Quakers’ Phil, and he had to be replaced at half-time, but Blyth took the lead on 49 minutes.

Danger man Robbie Dale was allowed to dribble into the penalty area and his low cross was turned in by Hunter, not the first time Quakers have conceded a sloppy goal this season.

They have now let in eight goals in six games, which is unlike them and at that point White might have been better off coming on centre-back.

Midway through the half, however, Gray changed to 4-3-3, sent on Leon Scott, White and David Dowson and with the outcome impact being almost immediate.

Dowson passed the ball down to Thompson, who fired over former Spennymoor keeper Adam McHugh from 18 yards with the aid of a deflection.

And six minutes later the game had turned on its head when White scored his third goal in three days, though there was some good fortune involved.

Thompson had miskicked the ball, it rolled kindly to White who hit it low into the corner.

When there must’ve been a temptation to run toward Blyth supporters, who had baited him relentlessly while he was warming up, he celebrated nonchalantly, expressionless with one hand in the air, as though he scores such goals every week.

The atmosphere generated by the 1,767 supporters, including around 200 from Blyth, crackled. It was tense in the closing stages, Quakers fans aware how crucial three points against a fellow promotion contender would be.

Blyth mustered a final attack in injury time, Matthew Wade putting a free header into Peter Jameson’s hands, at the conclusion of a thrilling affair.

Goals: Dale (49, 0-1); Thompson (68, 1-1), White (74, 2-1)

Bookings: J Watson (18, foul), Bell (24, foul); Hutchinson (28, foul); I Watson (39, foul); Morse (45, time-wasting), McNamee (53, foul), Wade (58, foul), Wearmouth (65, foul), Nicholson (85, simulation); Burgess (90, foul)

Referee: Barry Gordon 5

Attendance: 1,767

Entertainment: *****

Darlington (4-4-2): Jameson 7, Gibbons 7, Burgess 7, Hunter 6, I Watson 7; THOMPSON 8, Turnbull 7, Portas 7, Bell 5 (Scott 64, 6); Armstrong 6 (White 67, 7), Cartman 6 (Dowson 67, 7). Subs (not used): Provett (gk), Mitchell

Blyth Spartans (4-4-2): McHugh 6, McNamee 6, Morse 7, Hutchinson 7, J Watson 7; Wearmouth 6 (Richardson 70, 6), Turnbull 6 (Hooks 46, 6), Reid 6 (Nicholson 77), DALE 7; Maguire 6, Wade 6. Subs (not used): Parker, Cartwright

Man of the match

STEPHEN Thompson – A real threat again, as he was on Saturday too