Today we continue the countdown to Darlington’s return to the town on Boxing Day at Blackwell Meadows. In the latest of a series looking back on significant Darlington matches on home soil since leaving Feethams, Deputy Sports Editor Craig Stoddart focuses on the club’s sensational comeback in the FA Trophy semi-final

WINS at Welling, Wembley and Whitby stand among Darlington’s highlights over the past quarter of a century, and those fortunate to have enjoyed such successes recall them fondly when discussing the club’s finest hours.

Without a thrilling comeback in the semi-final, however, there would have been no win at Wembley in the final of the FA Trophy.

Chris Senior earned himself a place in the club’s folklore in May 2011 with his winner in the dying seconds against Mansfield Town, a never-to-be-forgotten moment that remains exhilarating for supporters, though it sometimes overshadows what went on two months earlier.

Having safely navigated a comfortable ride to the semis, beating Tamworth, Bath, Telford and Salisbury with minimum fuss, the final hurdle in the way of the club’s third Wembley trip was a sterner test in the shape of a North-East derby against Gateshead.

As demonstrated in the league game, a week before the first leg, when they drew 2-2 at the International Stadium, Mark Cooper’s Quakers throwing away a two-goal lead, there was little between the two Conference teams.

Darlington were eighth, Gateshead 12th.

Four days later in the Trophy at the Arena, however, it was Heed’s turn to lose a two-goal advantage.

Ian Bogie’s side went 2-0 ahead with first-half goals from Nathan Fisher and Adam Rundle, two players who have since played for Darlington, while current Quaker Phil Turnbull was in Heed’s midfield.

“I didn’t have to say too much at half-time because I think the players already knew they hadn’t done themselves justice,” said Cooper.

“I looked every one of them in the eye and asked them, ‘have you really done yourself justice? Do you want to go to Wembley? Do you really want to go out of the Trophy with a performance like that?’ They gave me their answer in the second half.”

Turnbull’s centre-midfield partner Kris Gate missed a simple chance for 3-0 early in the second half, an opportunity he would deeply regret when Darlington mounted their fightback, with Marc Bridge-Wilkinson giving his side hope with his 11th goal in 25 games.

Darlington, with only one defeat in 16, showed their resolve and grew stronger, creating chances.

The equaliser came with 15 minutes to go, Liam Hatch heading home his 12th goal of the season from an Aaron Brown free-kick, won when Nathan Modest was scythed down by Ben Clark. And Darlington were not done yet.

Again Hatch was the hero. He seized on Carl Jones’ error and drove towards goal, despatching the ball beyond Paul Farman to complete Quakers’ comeback to the satisfaction of a crowd relieved and delighted in equal measure.

“From despair to delight inside 45 minutes,” read the Echo report.

Cooper admitted: “We looked down and out at half-time so the players have obviously got something about them.

“I wasn’t particularly over-confident after the first-half display and the defending, but we asked for a response at half-time and we certainly got it.

“Whoever got the next goal was crucial and luckily enough we got it and it was game on.”

“Hatch hands Quakers Wembley advantage,” was the Echo’s headline, an advantage Darlington maintained by drawing a tense second leg 0-0 to secure a place at Wembley, where it was Senior’s turn to be the hero.

Ultimately his goal changed little. Cooper released the diminutive striker four days later, just minutes before the team’s open-top bus parade.

Senior has long since moved on, however, becoming a masseur with Arsenal and the Welsh national team.

The financial implosion of the following season demonstrates how much good the Trophy did Darlington!

At least winning at Welling earned promotion from the Conference in 1990, and walloping Whitby 7-1 in April this year – when it was 5-0 after 20 minutes – secured the Northern Premier League title.

Yet ask any supporter and they will describe euphoric moments that followed Senior’s goal being about as good as it gets – and it would not have happened without Quakers’ sensational semi-final comeback.

Darlington: Russell, Arnison, Miller, Burn, Brown, Chandler, Verma, G Smith, Bridge-Wilkinson (Main 90), Senior (Modest 55), Hatch (Wright 86). Subs (not used): St Louis-Hamilton (gk), P Gray

Gateshead: Farman; Tavernier, Jones, Clark, Liddle; Brittain (Marwood 85), Turnbull, Gate, Rundle (Nelthorpe 71); Shaw (Offiong 73), Fisher. Subs (not used): Ball (gk), Baxter