Colwyn Bay 2 Darlington 4

STAND-IN striker Alan White bagged a brace as Darlington took their first points on the road this season thanks to a 4-2 success at Colwyn Bay.

With Graeme Armstrong rested, White started up front and he vindicated Martin Gray’s decision, helping Quakers build a 3-0 half-time lead.

The Welsh hosts fought back in the second period as Darlington rued not being able to plunder more goals having been so far ahead at the break, but it was not to matter.

While White was to score twice before the break, it was fellow defender Kevin Burgess who put Quakers ahead.

The goal came after a corner, won by Nathan Cartman pressurising Fagbola Jordan into conceding near the corner flag.

The corner was cleared, White heading it back to Stephen Thompson and his ball back in was headed home by Burgess for his second goal of the campaign.

It had been Burgess’ second sight of goal as he had earlier hit the bar with a header following a Thompson delivery at a set-piece.

The hosts had had half chances too. Lewis Gibbons had conceded a corner after Rob Hopley turned Chris Hunter, and shortly Hopley lashed over from 16 yards when he should’ve done much better.

But once Burgess put Darlington ahead the visitors were more composed, defending resolutely and it was soon 2-0.

Midfielder Tom Portas barged his way into the penalty area, his close control keeping Colwyn Bay away from the ball, and then chipped to the far post where White headed home.

The first two goals came 11 minutes apart, and another 11 minutes after White’s first the veteran had his second, and again it was a header.

He converted at the back post after patient build-up play and then cross by the recalled Ian Watson.

Left-back Watson started due to an injury sustained by Terry Galbraith in the midweek defeat at Workington, a result which meant Darlington went into today’s game still looking for their first points away from home.

With a 3-0 lead at the break, there was little danger of them not returning from Wales with a maximum haul, although Bay did make a game of it.

They made three substitutions, switched formation 3-4-3 and pulled a goal back, though it came in fortuitous circumstances.

Valter Fernandes, one of the subs, scored, though he had clearly been attempting to cross, the ball floating over Peter Jameson and sneaking inside the far post.

Coincidentally, the fourth goal of the game maintained the trend for strikes at 11-minute intervals: 22, 33, 44 and 55.

Perhaps in a move to guard the lead, Gray soon made a change of his own, Leon Scott replacing Anthony Bell, who had made his first started in place of the rested Adam Mitchell but did not see much of the ball.

Another change for Darlington saw David Dowson sent on for Nathan Cartman and for a lengthy spell each team traded half-chances – Colwyn Bay’s Chris Sharp headed over at a corner, and then a two-handed save by Chris Sanna kept out a powerful Thompson effort from 20 yards.

Thompson enjoyed his best performance of the season and on 69 he created Darlington’s fourth goal. His superb pass picked out Dowson, who ran at a back-peddling defender, cutting inside from left and a measured finish low into the net made it 4-1, surely sealing the points.

But with 12 minutes to go Bay had renewed hope. Chris Sharp scored at close-range after Jameson parried Love's shot, though Quakers felt that the Colwyn striker could have been offside.

Narrowing the margin of Darlington’s lead led to some nervy moments as the home team held possession for lengthy spells in the dying moments, but Quakers stood firm, protected Jameson and closed out victory.

The three points, which sees Quakers move up to sixth, represent their third win in five games this season, teeing them up nicely for Monday’s game with Blyth at Heritage Park (3pm).

Goals: Burgess (22, 0-1), White (33, 0-2), White (44, 0-3); Fernandes (55, 1-3); Dowson (69, 1-4); Sharp (78, 2-4)

Bookings: Gibbons (83, foul)

Referee: Daniel Hitchell

Attendance: 386

Colwyn Bay (4-4-2): Sanna; Dowling (Fernandes 46), Denson, Fagbola, Lea (Corbett 46); Booth, Rodgers (Love 46), Holsgrove Williams; Sharp, Hopley. Subs (not used): Zibaka, Baynes

Darlington (4-4-2): Jameson; Gibbons, Burgess, Hunter, Watson; Thompson (Youhill 72), Turnbull, Portas, Bell (Scott 56); Cartman (Dowson 61), White. Subs (not used): Provett (gk), Mitchell