Alfreton 0 Darlington 3.

Darlington manager Martin Gray heaped praise on the travelling fans after Quakers’ comfortable 3-0 away win at the Impact Arena on Saturday – and asked them to turn out in force again on Monday afternoon for the visit of FC United.

Almost 350 fans, including one from California, made the trip down to Derbyshire for Quakers’ eighth away win of the season, and in shades of that emotional day at Barrow five years ago, cheered the players when they got off the bus outside the ground, throughout the game and at the end of Quakers’ dominant display. There was a feeling amongst some that in a way the final score didn’t matter in the light of the play off issue.

Manager Martin Gray joined the players on the pitch to salute the fans on the pitch at the end of the game, and said; “The fans are the best. What they’ve done as a group of fans, how they’ve stuck with us is fantastic. We’ve had a tough week as a football club, no question about it, but nearly 350 people didn’t have to go to Saturday’s game, but they went to the game because they love their team. The players never let them down, and whatever happens, the players will give them everything. The players have been very much rewarded by the travelling support, and it’s a massive, massive credit to the fans from the football club.

“It’s great that they travelled down to Alfreton, and that they continue to support us going forward.

“We want a full house at Blackwell Meadows for Monday’s game – why shouldn’t we have one? FC United will bring a massive support and they’re a club that’s got lots of ambition. It’s important that we have lots of support, because the players deserve it for what they’ve put in this season. The players give the fans everything, the fans do the same in return, and I think that’s a great partnership they have together.”

Quakers climbed to fourth in the table with this victory, and could go third today if they beat FC United and Halifax lose at Harrogate.

“I thought we started the first half very, very well, and we could have been three or four up by half time,” said Gray. “We were very dominant and hit the woodwork three times. We impressed upon the players about coming out and starting with a real high tempo game, but unfortunately we couldn’t take our chances. I thought the performance over the 90 minutes was fantastic.”

If there was any disappointment over the play off issue, then the players certainly didn’t show it. From the very first whistle, they were at Alfreton’s throats and Mark Beck headed a left wing cross from David Ferguson against the post on just three minutes, and Stephen Thompson forced Alfreton keeper Fabian Spiess to push his 25 yarder over the bar.

Ferguson nearly broke the deadlock with a left foot shot from 20 yards that struck the post again, and Josh Gillies put a six yard header from a Mark Beck lay off into the keeper’s hands.

After Alfreton had a goal disallowed, Quakers got their deserved breakthrough on 33 minutes when a long ball by Ferguson went over the Alfreton defence for Cartman to latch on to, and slot past the advancing Spiess.

Cartman nearly got another just on half time, but his neat backheel from six yards came back off the post, and Spiess blocked his follow up.

Alfreton showed more spirit at the start of the second half, but Quakers took a stranglehold on the game after 57 minutes when Gillies spread the ball out wide for Thompson, who then cleverly beat a defender and lobbed the ball to the far post where Gillies ran in and sidefooted into the roof of the net.

The fans were in full voice again on 63 minutes when Beck was pulled back by a defender in the area, and Terry Galbraith coolly tucked away the penalty for his 11th goal of the season.

It was plain sailing after that, and Gray, with today’s game in mind, used his subs to their full extent.

Darlington: Bartlett, Hunter, Ferguson, Turnbull, Galbraith (sub Marrs 80), Brown, Thompson (sub Wearmouth 65), Syers (sub Scott 65), Beck, Cartman, Gillies.

Subs: Wilczynski, Saunders.

Bookings: None.

Alfreton: Spiess, Richards, Heaton, Allan, Wilson, Atkinson, Shelton, Marshall, McFadzean, Westcarr (sub Priestley 64), Hearn (sub Smith 64, sub Evans 82 ).

Subs: Cox, Monkhouse.

Bookings: None.

Referee: Paul Marsden.

Attendance: 867.