DARLINGTON fans are familiar with Stephen Thompson’s spectacular goals having watched him hit the net from long-range with regularity for four years, such goals becoming his trademark.

The most recent addition to his collection of net busters came seven days ago, giving his team the lead at Brackley when he blasted home from well outside the penalty area for his 67th goal in Quakers colours.

The bulk of them owe much to enormous power harnessed by impressive technique, plus, says team-mate Gary Brown, bravery on the ball too.

The defender is also well used to Thompson’s eye-catching achievements having played alongside him for seven seasons – three years at Durham City before switching to Quakers in 2012 – and even joked that he was “bored now” of the long-range goals.

Brown said of last Saturday’s strike: “It was a great goal. Him and Josh Gillies are probably the only ones in team that can do that, and Thommo’s definitely the only one brave enough to try it.

“He doesn’t think twice about shooting from there.

“Mark Beck in the first half was even closer to goal and the ball was there to hit on his left foot, but instead he tried to play someone in. I said why don’t you pull the trigger?

“That’s just down to being conservative, but Thommo will always try the Match of the Day thing and when it comes off it’s brilliant.

“Ask anyone who’s played with him, his talent is ridiculous. But he’s not trying as many hard passes now, he keeps the ball a lot, he’s making himself into a better player.”

Thompson will be in the team again today, as will Brown who will again be alongside Terry Galbraith in the centre of defence due to Chris Hunter and Kevin Burgess again being ruled out due to injury.

Brown has no qualms over playing alongside Galbraith, however, the left-backs’ adaptability having been utilised over the past six games due to Burgess’ knee injury.

“It’s brilliant playing with him,” said Brown. He’s like a Rolls Royce, and when he gets older he’ll be able to slot in there no problem.

“He’s one of those players you can rely on to play anywhere, he could probably do a job up front. He’s just a very gifted footballer and should be playing higher.

“I don’t need to tell him about positioning, he’s a defender so he knows where to be, he’s always in the right place at the right time and that’s not fluke.”

Having kept only one clean so far, this season Darlington’s defence is yet to meet the standards set in previous campaigns and Brown blamed himself for Brackley’s first equaliser, which came after a corner in the 2-2 draw.

The result left Quakers in third position ahead of today’s match at Heritage Park against 13th-placed Gainsborough Town.

“On the balance of the game I think we deserved three points, but we would’ve been happy with a point beforehand,” said Brown, who today plays his first home game since August 27 having since suffered injury and suspension.

“It was my man for the first goal, I was marking him, and he got in front of me and the ball just hit him. He didn’t even celebrate scoring because he’d just ran into the ball.

“I think they were more fortunate with the second goal, there was no way he meant to put it in the corner, no chance.

“But I think it’s one point gained. If you asked the majority of us before the game we would’ve taken a point.”

Gainsborough are one of the three teams in the division yet to win away from home, so today’s fixture is one Darlington are expected to take three points from.

A win would see them move up a place as second-top Harrogate Town are without a fixture.

“Year after year Martin and his coaches put the squad together and demand more and more, and us as players give more,” added Brown.

“We’re third on merit. We want to stay up there right until the end of the season, that’s where we want to be, promotion is the only aim.”

*Amar Purewal and Adam Mitchell have been made available for permanent transfer.

Purewal is currently on loan at Shildon, while Mitchell has been a regular in Quakers squad this season, making five starts and six sub appearances.