Darlington secure play-off place
Tommy Wright secured Darlington's place in the play-offs with a second half equaliser that earned a point in a nervy affair at Chesterfield who are now resigned to another season in League Two.
The eighth-placed side needed a win to keep their play-off hopes alive and took the lead at the start of the second half, after which Darlington upped their game with Wright scoring in the 68th minute.
It was his 15th goal of the season and none have been greeted with more relief as he stroked the ball home for Darlington's first goal from open play in five matches.
It was a strike that hardly looked likely before the break when Dave Penney's side struggled to make an impact.
Aware that a point would be enough to secure a place in the play-offs, Darlington did little to trouble home keeper Barry Roche whose only test came via a team-mate's wayward backpass.
Aaron Downes' mis-hit pass gifted Quakers a corner which came to nothing, as did most of Darlington's attacks.
With Clark Keltie back in the centre of midfield as one of three changes in a 4-5-1 formation, Quakers looked to pass the ball from the back as Penney had explained had been worked in training.
But the hosts pressured Darlington which meant passing moves came to nothing while Quakers keeper David Stockdale also had little to keep him occupied during a scrappy opening 45 minutes that came to life just before the break.
The Spireites cranked up the pressure by winning three quick corners, the first coming due to a poor Alan White backpass, but Darlington survived however, the hosts took the lead five minutes after the restart with Jamie Ward scoring.
He reacted first to Steve Fletcher's flick-on to calmly shoot past Stockdale from inside the penalty area to place Quakers' play-off hopes in jeopardy.
A defeat would have seen the Spireites close the gap to just four points going into the last two games of the season.
But Quakers responded well and began playing some composed football, showing patience in their attacks which was rewarded 18 minutes after Ward's strike.
A lofted ball from near halfway was headed into Wright's path by Neil Wainwright, recalled to the side, and Quakers' leading scorer showed composure to make it 1-1.
With anything other than a Chesterfield win spelling the end of the hosts' play-off hopes, the hosts threw men forward but perhaps felt the pressure as they wasted any scoring chances.
Darlington defended well to see out the closing stages without conceding, though Keltie was to thank for a goal-line headed clearance in the fifth minute of what was supposed to be four minutes of injury time.
During an inexplicable and nervous extra 60 seconds Chesterfield forced two corners. From the first Keltie headed clear to help protect the point that is enough to confirm Darlington's place in the play-offs for the third time.
In each of their previous forays into the end-of-season competition - in 1996 and 2000 - they have reached the final but lost on each occasion. But with players returning to fitness Penney will hope to go one better this time.
He expects Pawel Abbott and Gregg Blundell to return to training on Monday, while Julian Joachim may also be back in action in time to face Dagenham next Saturday.
Darlington (4-5-1): Stockdale; Valentine, White, Foster, Parker; Wainwright (Wiseman 83), Ravenhill, Kennedy (Cummins 67), Keltie, Purdie (Nelthorpe 67); Wright. Subs (not used): Kazimierczak, Austin
Referee: K Evans
*Darlington manager Dave Penney admitted after the game that David Stockdale has attracted attention from Premier League strugglers Fulham.
The goalkeeper has been one of Quakers' star performers in a season in which the team has kept a club record 23 clean sheets.
6:51pm Saturday 19th April 2008
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CommentPosted by: Adam, Darlo/London on 11:49am Sun 20 Apr 08
[bold]Well done Darlo[/bold] , we got the point and the goal that we so desparately needed. Now with players coming back to fitness and 2 games left to prepare, we can get out mind firmly set on the most important games of our season.
Forget about the blip, our injuries were a huge setback and unlike with other teams this season, have largely occurred at a time when we couldn't bring in any loan cover.
Lets look forwards not back wards, be positive, and concentrate on doing a job in the semi's and then hope that new wembley means a new result for Darlo - not sure I could take another 0-1. C'mon Darlo
Well done Darlo , we got the point and the goal that we so desparately needed. Now with players coming back to fitness and 2 games left to prepare, we can get out mind firmly set on the most important games of our season.
Forget about the blip, our injuries were a huge setback and unlike with other teams this season, have largely occurred at a time when we couldn't bring in any loan cover.
Lets look forwards not back wards, be positive, and concentrate on doing a job in the semi's and then hope that new wembley means a new result for Darlo - not sure I could take another 0-1. C'mon Darlo
Posted by: Neil in Norway, Stavanger, Norway on 4:00pm Sun 20 Apr 08
Well done the lads!
The Wright & Wainwright combination came up trumps, despite all odds.
It's time for Darlo to get on song for the play-offs, building a team and a passing style around the skilled returnees and those that have worked so hard to keep us in the reckoning during the recent crisis.
Well done the lads!
The Wright & Wainwright combination came up trumps, despite all odds.
It's time for Darlo to get on song for the play-offs, building a team and a passing style around the skilled returnees and those that have worked so hard to keep us in the reckoning during the recent crisis.
Posted by: billyhunt, Perth, Australia on 3:35am Mon 21 Apr 08
Get in, and with my work bringing me back the day before the final it all seems to be falling into place to watch the lads at Wembley.
Get in, and with my work bringing me back the day before the final it all seems to be falling into place to watch the lads at Wembley.
Posted by: Caver, Darlo on 4:48pm Mon 21 Apr 08
Come on lads, don't let us down, I'm sure you can throw it all away in the last few games as alway.
Then we can look forward to another season of big talk and little action.
Come on lads, don't let us down, I'm sure you can throw it all away in the last few games as alway.
Then we can look forward to another season of big talk and little action.
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