Veteran White bags a brace as Darlington win in Wales

DARLINGTON go into today’s big game with Blyth Spartans boosted by a hugely satisfactory win on Saturday, their first three-point haul on the road.

A long way down the road it was too. They spent four hours on the coach to Colwyn Bay in North Wales, one of Quakers’ longest trips of the season, while manager Martin Gray felt he needed to rest striker Graeme Armstrong, with today’s game in mind, and replace him with veteran defender Alan White.

It was a bold move. Those who doubted the decision, ready to point out Gray jettisoned Liam Hatch over the summer, were poised.

By half-time it was 3-0, 40-year-old White had scored twice and Gray’s move had paid off handsomely.

The manager said: “I just wanted to rest Graeme. He was out injured for a while, so it was nice to leave him at home for the weekend to get himself ready for Monday.

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“It’s decisions that you’re judged on as a manager and if it hadn’t worked people would point the finger at you and ask ‘what are you doing?’ “I spoke to Alan and the team in-depth about what I wanted to do and how I saw it working. Alan listened and if you take on information then it’s not a difficult position to play in if you get good service.

“He’s scored goals off set-pieces throughout his career and today in general play he attacked things and was a massive plus for the team. It just goes to show that at this level having a big man in your team as a target man is vital.”

Hold the ball up, bring others into play and when the ball comes into the penalty area go for goal, that was White’ remit.

Gray added: “People were probably thinking ‘what are you playing him there for?’ He gives you an outlet, he’s an option and he’s chipped in with a couple of goals which was a bonus. The team stuck to the game-plan.

“It was important to hit the front with good service, be on the front foot and play in their final third at a high tempo, plus we counter-attacked really well.”

It was fellow defender Kevin Burgess, however, who put Darlington ahead. He had already hit the bar with a header before scoring on 22 minutes.

Anthony Bell’s corner was cleared, White playing it back to Stephen Thompson and his ball in was headed home by the captain.

The game’s first four goals came at 11-minute intervals, so on 33 minutes White got his first after Tom Portas dribbled from halfway, held off Jordan Fagbola and chipped a cross for the makeshift striker to head home.

And on 44 minutes it was 3-0, another header, this time converting after patient build-up play and cross by the recalled Ian Watson, who started ahead of the injured Terry Galbraith.

“This is one of our longest journeys of the season, it’s a long time to be sat on a coach, but I thought the first half was our best first half of the season,” said Gray.

Quakers looked good for more goals, the next one, though, was scored by Colwyn Bay’s Valter Fernandes, predictably enough in the 55th minute, but few saw it coming, certainly not Peter Jameson.

Swung in from the left and intended as a cross, it was clearly intended as a cross, though Jameson will feel he could’ve done better.

Perhaps he’d been distracted by the Vulcan bomber darting around the sky while performing at the nearby North Wales Air Show, which kept fans amused during a spell when Darlington looked to kill the game.

The points were assured with just over 20 minutes to play when David Dowson scored after receiving a pinpoint pass by the excellent Thompson before cutting inside firing home.

“It was the best Stephen Thompson has been this season,” said Gray. “He had a couple of assists today and got himself into some good positions.

“Also what’s important is what he does off the ball, it’s not always about how good you can be going forward.”

Colwyn Bay were extracted hope in the final ten minutes when Chris Sharp made it 4-2. The son of ex-Everton striker Graeme, who was in attendance, was quickest to follow up after Jameson parried Archie Love’s shot.

Gray said: “We think he was offside for the follow-in – Kev Burgess had had a fall-out with the linesman – and the first goal was soft. I don’t think it was intended, but it caught us off guard and got them into the game.

“We should’ve been 6-0 up by then with the chances we made and our forward play.”

Gray will hope some goals have been saved for this afternoon when a large crowd is expected for against fellow promotion hopefuls.