Buxton 2 Darlington 0

Darlington manager Martin Gray insisted that there were still plenty of positives even though Quakers lost on the opening day of the season for the first time in six years.

It was so untypical of Darlington to concede two goals at Silverlands in the way they did from set-pieces, but they also missed several good chances that if converted could have earned them a point, especially in the second half.

Quakers now have an idea of the standard of opposition they will be facing this season.

Buxton had several big strong players in their side, such as defenders Joel Bembo Leta, Greg Young and Brad-Lee Gascoigne, and a speed king down their right hand side in Osebi Abadaki.

The difference between the teams though was in the finishing and Gray pointed out: “It was one of those games in which you have to take your chances.

“Buxton had two set-pieces which they punished us from, but I felt over the 90 minutes we created enough chances to come away with something.

“It’s a learning curve, and we have to learn quickly. We can’t afford to give teams an opportunity to have free headers in the box, so we’ll have to be stronger and better at the back.

“But there were lots of positives that we can be happy with. Their keeper was busy all the game, but if you’re better in both boxes then you can come away with something.

“I thought we should have had a definite penalty in the first half, I thought we didn’t get the rub of the green with some decisions.

“Losing Adam was a blow because he’s such a big asset. I thought his physical presence would cause problems, and he did until he was injured.”

Gray was forced into an enforced change after 12 minutes when Nowakowski, who had started up front with Nathan Cartman, had to be helped off the field with a serious-looking injury to his head following an aerial challenge, and was replaced by David Dowson.

The former Harrogate man was taken to hospital in Stockport for treatment.

Quakers went behind to an uncharacteristic goal on 18 minutes when Buxton defender Greg Young, who played for Quakers in the Conference, was left unmarked to head an in-swinging corner from the right by Jamie Green against the post, and Ash Burbeary stroked the loose rebound home from ten yards.

Quakers nearly levelled with a curling free-kick from the edge of the box by Terry Galbraith, that was deflected just wide, and then they had strong penalty claims turned down when Dowson’s shot was blocked by Young’s raised and outstretched hand.

Cartman also had a chance from a weighted cross by promising new full-back Lewis Gibbons, but a defender blocked on the six yard line.

After a good spell of pressure engineered by Phil Turnbull before half-time, Quakers had hopes of getting back into the game at the start of the second half, but within 90 seconds of the restart they went further behind. Burbeary curled a free kick perfectly in from the right for Liam Hardy to find a yard of space and head firmly past Jameson.

It was virtually all Quakers after that, but they couldn’t break through. Tom Portas blasted a 25-yarder wide of the post, and they nearly pulled a goal back when Turnbull headed an Adam Mitchell cross into the six-yard box, and Cartman’s stooping header was somehow by the trailing leg of keeper Phil Barnes.

Former Quaker Ricky Ravenhill, now at Buxton, was his normal combative self – he was booked for a foul, and then escaped further punishment for a clash with Mitchell.

Barnes pulled off a better save on 73 minutes, throwing himself to his left to push away a powerful header by Terry Galbraith from an Adam Mitchell free kick.

Barnes saved another header from Galbraith, then his defensive wall blocked an indirect free kick by Thompson, awarded for Barnes’ time wasting, as Quakers piled forward.

Gray even put Alan White up front for the closing stages – Quakers’ fifth striker of the game – but not even his physical presence could force a goal as Buxton pulled nearly everyone back and relied on breakaways.

Darlington: Jameson, Gibbons, Burgess, Hunter, Galbraith; Thompson, Turnbull, Portas, Mitchell (White 80); Nowakowski (Dowson 12; Armstrong 60), Cartman. Subs (not used) Scott, Provett (gk).

Buxton: Barnes, Leta, Green, Ravenhill, Gascoigne, Young, Abadaki (Barraclough 55) Burrell, Taylor, Hardy (Worsfold 80), Burbeary (sub Doran 55). Subs not used: Williams, Jameson.

Referee: Luke Watson (Barnsley)

Bookings: Ravenhill (foul), Barnes (timewasting)

Attendance 708