WHERE do I begin? It’s been an interesting week to be a Darlo fan. A regulation 3-0 win against a useful Matlock side followed by transfer activity that will have caught most if not all by surprise.

First of all, the Matlock game; it was a solid performance and it appeared like we had lots left in the tank if needed. To say we didn’t get out of second gear would probably be disrespectful to our guests but, in truth, Matlock didn’t push us too hard.

Adding a little spice to the occasion, Lee Gaskell decided to add another goal to his rapidly-developing one-man goal of the season competition. There’s a bald Scotsman living off petrodollars in the Middle East that would suggest he take a bow for that effort and rightfully so. It was piece of individual skill that would have been raved about for weeks had it been in front of Premier League fans paying through the nose.

With Tuesday night out of the way, attention turned to Saturday. Or, at least, that’s what we thought on Tuesday night. Instead, Wednesday brought the news that David Dowson was leaving the club to join Spennymoor Town. My initial thought was one of disbelief. Given the stage of the season and the number of fixtures remaining, how could we let him go?

Although Dowson has been moving more to the periphery in the last year or so, more often than not playing a cameo role, he was still an important member of the squad. My fondest memories of him were during the first couple of years under Martin Gray. I used to refer to Dowson, Amar Purewal and Stephen Thompson as the ‘Holy Trinity’ as the majority of Darlo’s attacking threat came through wonderful interplay between those three players. Particularly away from home playing on the break, they were a joy to watch. Pace, power and plenty of goals. While Purewal and Thompson often got the plaudits, Dowson played his part.

Fast forward to last season and it was his playoff semi-final goal against his new employers that most fans will pick out as his key moment for the club. Whatever your memories, he has been one hell of a servant for the club over recent years. He may not have got as many goals as his hard work deserved, but he has played a massive role in our rise from the depths. Thanks Dowse and good luck at Spenny!

Come Friday and we’ve signed Liam Hardy from Buxton. It probably wouldn’t be a surprise that he’s the division’s top goal scorer – Martin Gray has a type. He has big boots to fill and a tough job to usurp Lee Gaskell and Nathan Cartman, but I’m sure he will help push the team on to bigger and better things.

That just leaves the trip to Salford City on Saturday. Hopefully, our recent form takes some of the pressure off this game. After the events on and off the pitch at Moor Lane during our last visit, we could really do with this trip being a picture of tranquillity.

A referee from a higher division would certainly help our cause, but more importantly than that, we need Martin Gray to stay chilled on the sideline. Yes, the Salford managers are wind-up merchants but if the players see their manager losing his cool, they will.

If we treat this game as exactly what it is – just another game – we may come out of it with the three points that we have become used to collecting in recent weeks.