DARLINGTON have maximum points from their opening two games, despite defensive lapses from last season reappearing in last night’s win over Gainsborough Trinity.

They scrambled to a victory that for a spell in the second half looked far from certain after throwing away a two-goal lead.

Quakers managed to squeeze out a 4-3 win against Gainsborough team that finished a point above the relegation zone last season, who, after clawing it back to 3-3, had the momentum and chances to go ahead.

Darlington lacked the defensive solidity that underpinned a 2-0 victory at Salford City on Saturday, admitted manager Martin Gray.

He said the goals conceded were due to individual errors, yet was ultimately pleased with six points from his team’s first two games, with another home match to come on Saturday against Alfreton.

“It wasn’t the performance that we wanted but we got the result that we wanted,” said the manager, who selected an unchanged starting XI.

“It was poor defending for all three goals that we conceded. That’s not what we were about on Saturday and it’s what disappoints me tonight.

“We’ve got to defend better, whether it’s at basic play or set plays. No disrespect, but we shouldn’t be conceding three goals at home.

“If someone had said that we would take six points from the first two games I would’ve been delighted. But the performance has got to be better for us to push on.”

Fans who had not travelled to Salford got to see striker James Caton for the first time, but he spurned three first half chances to get off the mark.

He blazed over after running on to David Ferguson’s forward pass, and then Gary Brown hit the bar from close-range in a bright start to the match from Quakers in their game on the relaid Blackwell pitch.

Despite a large divot in the opposition penalty area early on, Gray and the players were pleased with the surface.

The first signs of Gainsborough creating gaps in Darlington’s came when Dom Collins had to a block in on Alex Simmons, but the visitors took soon regardless after more slack defending.

Striker Alex Worsfold poked the ball through Adam Bartlett’s legs after being put through by Craig King.

And it was almost 2-0 within three minutes, Clarke blasting the ball into the River Skerne when he found a yard inside Quakers’ penalty area following a throw.

Caton’s second sight of goal saw an effort flashed wide after a corner, and the ex-Dover man then wasted an opportunity after being played in by Beck.

But Darlington deservedly levelled on 23 minutes. A Brown cross was headed in by Beck after Gainsborough were too slow to react to a Quakers throw, a lapse that infuriated animated Trinity manager Dave Frecklington.

In the wake of his team losing to Leamington 2-1 on Saturday he had warned that his team would be “annihilated” by Darlington should there be more poor defending, and during the remainder of the half Quakers attacked at will.

However, and a well-timed last-ditch tackle on the marauding Ferguson by right-back Charlie Gatter kept the score level.

Josh Gillies delivered a free-kick into the centre of the area where relieved goalkeeper Richard Walton saw an unmarked Brown slip, but Walton could do little about Dave Syers’ first goal of the season three minutes before the break for 2-1.

A Gillies corner found its way to the far post, Terry Galbraith with the assist, for Syers to poke home – his fourth goal against Gainsborough in three games.

A goal at each end within three minutes saw the second half start with a bang.

Darlington went 3-1 up after some fine football finished with Galbraith swinging over a cross that sailed over the goalkeeper, an unintended goal but one gratefully received.

Gainsborough almost immediately pulled one back, Darlington punished for switching off after scoring. Ioan Evans headed in at the near post, flicking a header home from a Gainsborough corner.

Darlington then had pressure to withstand, Gainsborough making a couple of substitutions and causing a complacent Quakers problems.

Just after the hour they got the equaliser they had been threatening.

Seconds after a Brown header was just over the bar, Gainsborough countered, left-back Tom Davie crossed and Nathan Jarman turned home for 3-3.

Gainsborough were so close to leading 4-3, Jonathan Wafula almost tapping it in, and then Worsfold misread the loose ball.

Darlington were living dangerously.

Just as Scott Fenwick was about to be sent on for his debut with 17 minutes to play, the striker sat back down when Darlington scored the seventh goal of the game, a goal that owed much to Syers’ perseverance.

After Hunter’s speculative ball forward, Syers managed to pull it back from the byline and Gillies steadied himself to rifle home from inside the penalty area for 4-3.

Darlington did as they should have done at 3-1, they shut up shop and closed the game out to make it two wins from two.