So cruel as Quakers sunk in injury time (From The Northern Echo)

So cruel as Quakers sunk in injury time

3:50pm Monday 2nd January 2012 in Darlington FC Match Reports By Craig Stoddart, Deputy Sports Editor

Man of the match: Graeme Lee

Nobody ever said football is fair, but games such as yesterday's summed up how cruel it can be.

Given that Darlington are entrenched in financial problems, a North-East derby win would have provided a timely morale-booster at the beginning of a week that could see the club plunged into administration.

They were clearly the better team and worthy of victory, creating chance after chance against a lacklustre Gateshead. They even had two goals ruled out for offside during an exciting first half.

Yet Craig Liddle's side failed to take their chances, including one handed to Dale Hopson in injury time, and seconds later they were punished in the cruellest manner.

With the Heed's only effort on target, Jon Shaw headed home two minutes into injury time. It was a sucker punch of the sort that seemingly lands only when a club is already at a low point.

It was harsh on Liddle, who has done so well to maintain a professional approach in recent weeks, harsh on the players, who played some fantastic football, and harsh on the supporters, who do not know if their club has a future.

They are hurting while their club plods through its latest brush with disaster.

Although chairman Raj Singh did not attend yesterday, presumably to avoid the inevitable flak, with the help of 300 from Gateshead the supporters made it one of the highest attendances of the season.

The team have been producing fine displays of late and yesterday was a continuation of their good form.

They went into the match having lost only one of their previous eight league games and looked like extending that good run.

After an even start, Liddle's men got into their stride. They kept possession for lengthy spells and sprayed the ball around confidently with Hopson, again, at the hub of the team's most effective play.

Quakers' first clear shooting opportunity fell to the 19-year-old, after John McReady flicked the ball on. But Hopson, usually so composed, mishit his effort wide, but soon he played a carefully-weighted pass ahead of captain Jamie Chandler.

The midfielder's shot was also miscued, but it rolled fortunately to Ryan Bowman to prod past keeper Tim Deasy, but he was adjudged offside.

Bowman was making his comeback after five games on the sidelines as a replacement for Liam Hatch, who has been struggling with an injury.

Bowman showed few ill effects from his lay-off and was on the end of several first-half chances.

He turned Ben Clark on the halfway line, but, under pressure from James Curtis, lashed wide. Having been offered the whole goal to aim at, it was another wasted opportunity.

In the first home game since Ian Miller left, Darlington were solid at the back. A Graeme Lee tackle on Phil Turnbull saw McReady pick up possession and play a neat pass into Bowman, but his effort was easily saved by Deasy who, within 60 seconds, collected an Adam Rundle effort.

Shaw rarely featured, the striker being well-marshalled by Lee and Kris Taylor.

Bowman did well to get a glancing header on target from a right-wing cross by Hopson, who then dazzled the visiting defence by skipping around three challenges before seeing a shot saved.

It brought a round of applause and no doubt scouts from much bigger clubs, monitoring Quakers' situation, will have noted his impressive performance.

Rundle had one chalked off at half-time for offside, after a McReady pass, but despite not scoring the goals they deserved Darlington left the field at the break to applause, with supporters encouraged by some lovely football.

At the back Lee enjoyed a tremendous afternoon. Early in the second half he got the better of Nathan Fisher by producing another well-timed tackle, and also played a ball up to Bowman, whose lay-off teed up Hopson.

The play-maker's optimistic effort was comfortably saved by Deasy, a continuation of the missed chances that were to prove Darlington's downfall.

Quakers lost some of their thrust, but Russell had only the occasional cross to catch with the Heed forwards rarely involved.

Ian Bogie sent on Yemi Odubade for Fisher, and he was met by a crunching Taylor tackle, while Chandler and Lee both showed their defiance with some meaty challenges. The message was simple: we're still fighting.

In the pulsating final stages both sides pushed desperately for a winner with Lee blocking Baxter in the box, while McReady had a shot which beat the despairing dive of Deasy, but it trickled wide.

The moment that a dramatic Darlington winner looked likely came as the game entered injury time, Hopson charging down the left after a McReady pass.

Three players were in the centre waiting for a pass, but the shot was on.

However, Hopson fell between the two, his shot-cross going wide, and within 60 seconds Shaw headed a Baxter delivery beyond Russell. Cue stunned silence.

But the final whistle saw Darlington supporters greet the team and Liddle with a fully-deserved standing ovation.

A club in crisis it may be, but against the odds the team are doing their utmost and they deserved much more than a defeat, though it will soon be forgotten if administration follows this week.