DARLINGTON are top of the table with a game in hand thanks to a 3-0 win over Skelmersdale United and a little help from neighbours Spennymoor Town.

The Heritage Park pitch was declared waterlogged yesterday at midday, and after some quick thinking by Quakers and frantic phone calls to the league the game was moved to Spennymoor’s Brewery Field where Martin Gray’s men hit the top spot amid a terrific atmosphere.

Darlington supporters made more noise than they have all season, and the club is indebted to Moors owner Brad Groves for at short notice allowing Quakers to play at the venue, which has been a happy hunting ground in recent seasons.

It was in February 2013 that a vital victory at the venue shifted the momentum in their favour in the Northern League title race, and last night’s three-point haul had a similar impact.

The most points second-placed Blyth Spartans, currently on 93, can win is 102, and with Darlington on 95 then seven points from their remaining four games would be sufficient for the title.

Gray, however, would not be drawn on his title’s chances, saying only: “We’ve won a game of football and we’ve out ourselves in a position we want to be.”

The Northern Echo:

Stephen Thompson missed Darlington’s first chance, blazing the ball over after being teed up by Nathan Cartman following a mistake by the Skem keeper, as early on the sides tussled.

Literally in the case of Skelmersdale's Scott Bakker. After Quakers’ Peter Jameson slide across the turf to collect the ball, bizarrely Bakker leapt on the keeper, presumably in an act of provocation.

Instead, referee Lucy Oliver, wife of Premier League whistle-blower Michael, had words for Skem’s right-sided midfielder.

That proved to be the only impact the visitors made in Darlington’s box – it is difficult to believe the mid-table team beat Blyth on Saturday.

Quakers created enough chances to be out of sight by half-time.

A Cartman flicked header deflected wide from an Armstrong cross, then goalkeeper Martin Fearon was out quickly to save at the striker’s feet.

Darlington forced three corners in succession, the third leading to the first goal.

The second saw a Gary Brown header cleared off the line, and from the next corner fellow centre-back Burgess scored his ninth goal of the season.

After Adam Mitchell’s corner, Leon Scott played the ball back for Burgess to rifle home for 1-0, and within a minute of the restart substitute Adam Nowakowski was just wide with a header.

He had replaced the injured Tom Portas, but the change did not affect Darlington’s dominance and Cartman made it 3-0 when he netted after a move up Darlington’s left.

Armstrong flicked the ball into the channel where man of the match Thompson advanced and then released a ball to Cartman made no mistake to score his 20th goal in all competitions.

Had Galbraith not seen a penalty impressively saved by Fearon, who had brought down Cartman, it would have been game over at the break.

Instead, Quakers made a high tempo start to the second half as they sought a decisive third goal.

With four games in eight days coming up, starting with Stamford on Saturday, Darlington wanted the match out of sight of Skelmersdale to take the remainder of the night easy.

And that’s exactly what they did when Thompson made it 3-0 on the hour.

He intercepted a loose pass, Cartman’s shot was parried and Thompson converted the follow-up to score his third goal in as many games.

“Thompson was outstanding, he got himself a goal and an assist and he was overall play was very good,” said Gray.

Points in the bag, Quakers cantered for the remainder of the game, their fans in good cheer as they celebrating going top for the first time since October.

Bakker tried an optimistic looping volley from 35 yards that momentarily had Jameson back-peddling, while Thompson lashed the ball wide after Burgess had teed the ball up following Galbraith corner.

The only concerns for Quakers were injuries. Nowakowski and Lee Gaskell were both limping heavily by full-time, the former eventually having to end the game leaving Darlington down to ten having used all their subs.

Gray will hope they can shake off the knocks before Saturday, when they could be back at the Brewery Field again due the strong chance that Heritage Park will again be waterlogged.

Satisfied with the performance, Gray said: “We should’ve had the game put to bed by half-time, we had two or three great chances for more goals.

“We didn’t have to go chasing it.

“We had to win, it was one of our games in hand so there was pressure to win it.

“We had to start well, we did and then we dominated for 90 minutes.”

Gray was grateful to Groves, saying: “It’s been a really busy day, one that I haven’t experienced too many times before. I’m so grateful to the chairman of Spennymoor, Brad Groves, for allowing us to fulfil our fixture at very short notice.

“He made the decision at 1pm and I want to say thank you to him, we’re very grateful.”