FC United 2 Darlington 3

Darlington kept their cool to collect their third away win of the season, thanks to a Nathan Cartman winner ten minutes from the end at Broadhurst Park.

Quakers were 2-0 up inside 27 minutes, but their failure to grab a third when they were on top nearly came back to haunt them, as FC United dragged themselves back into the game, but substitute Cartman, leading scorer last season, struck his first goal of the new campaign, albeit with the help of a deflection, for the winner.

Darlington manager Martin Gray said: “It was important to get back to winning ways at a place like FC United. To pick up maximum points away from home in this league is a very good performance.

“To come away with three points in real heat in our second game in three days says a lot for our fitness levels – I think they played a massive part.

“I thought we should have had the game won by half time, because we missed three or four great chances. I told the players afterwards that we must be more ruthless with the chances we’re creating.

“I was happier with our defending. Our shape was good off the ball, and we didn’t get done on the counter attack like we did on Saturday.”

Quakers took the game to United straight from the kick-off and led on four minutes, when Liam Hardy latched on to a great ball from Stephen Thompson and slipped the ball past the advancing keeper Ashley Frith.

It was nearly two when Terry Galbraith made a good run down the left and squared for Leon Scott, whose shot went past the post.

Stephen Thompson made a fantastic run down the right from inside his own half to well inside the United penalty area and fired towards the bottom left corner, but Frith just managed to get a hand to the ball.

Another chance came Quakers’ way on 24 minutes, when a spell of pressure ended with Gary Brown heading a delicate right wing cross by Thompson just wide.

Quakers deservedly went two-up on 27 minutes. Liam Marrs’ free-kick was headed down by Mark Beck for Hardy to lay off in turn for Thompson to fire across Frith.

United pulled a goal back on 42 minutes out of the blue, when Jason Gilchrist picked the ball up on the right 30 yards out, spotted Jameson off his line, and chipped the ball neatly over him to give his team a much needed lift.

In the first minute of the second half after Adam Mitchell came on for Gillies, Quakers had a chance when Thompson played a one-two with Hardy, and fired just wide.

Hardy was denied the third by the woodwork, when Brown crossed perfectly from the right for the striker to beat Frith, but the ball came back off the bar.

Another chance fell to Thompson on 50 minutes, but Frith tipped his effort over the top. Hardy fired across goal, and Thompson had a shot blocked by Frith as the opportunities kept dropping to Quakers.

But with the crowd behind them, United built up a head of steam, and George Thomson headed straight at Jameson from a cross.

And they broke through on 66 minutes, when Thomson ran at the defence, and beat Jameson with a low shot.

Quakers came back and nearly scored, when Thompson chipped a free-kick into the area, Burgess nodded down, and Beck knocked the ball over the bar.

Another chance went begging on 75 minutes, when Beck flicked the ball on for Cartman, who beat Frith, but the ball slipped just past the post.

But at the other end, Chris Chantler hit a low shot that Brown hooked off the line. Quakers survived that spell of pressure and broke away to go 3-2 up with ten minutes left. Cartman cleverly found Purewal with an overhead kick for his fellow sub to charge up the left. His ball to the far post was blocked, but it came back out to Cartman, who struck a low shot that took a deflection and looped over the keeper.

Jameson still had to be alert to block Dale Johnson at point blank range in stoppage time, but Quakers held on for a perfect reaction to their defeat against Alfreton on Saturday.

Darlington: Jameson, Marrs, Galbraith, Turnbull, Burgess, Brown, Thompson (Cartman 70), Scott, Beck, Hardy (Purewal 58), Gillies (Mitchell 45). Subs (not used): Bell, Nowakowski

Bookings: Scott, Jameson

FC United: Frith, Tonge, Chantler, Kay, Eckersley, Ashworth, Glynn (Winter 60), Lowe (Sheridan 60), Greaves (Johnson 81), Thomson, Gilchrist. Subs (not used): Wolfenden, Williams

Bookings: Lowe, Kay, Ashworth

Referee: Paul Marsden