WHEN your team is a goal behind and the leading scorer limps off to be replaced by a 19-year-old with a total of no goals in three substitute appearances, it's only natural to be sceptical about the chances of salvaging a point.

But Mark Sheeran may well have altered the mind-set of even the most apathetic Darlington fan following his home debut double.

His goals took the Quakers from 2-1 down to 3-2 up within seven minutes, which was the last thing anyone at Feethams expected when he entered the fray.

Not that Sheeran is a bad player, but it's fair to say most Quakers fans were asking 'Mark who?' when the Newcastle-born striker was introduced by the public address announcer as Barry Conlon trudged off.

It may have been a only a Third Division match, but Sheeran's opportunism and finishing was of the highest standard and his second goal - the winner - befitted a higher stage.

Perhaps a televised FA Cup match against Sheeran's boyhood idols, Newcastle, would have suited him.

There again, Quakers had blown their chances of that.

But the result, and especially the manner in which it was achieved, can be considered compensation for having to settle for a Third Division match with Luton rather than an FA Cup tie at home to Newcastle, although Quakers only have themselves to blame for not progressing to the fourth round.

Having thrown away a two-goal lead in the third round against Peterborough, and then again versus Southend, Quakers clearly took note of the Posh's and the Shrimpers' battling qualities, and on Saturday put them to good use.

At 2-1 down against the team with nine victories on the road - which has helped to secure them the best away record in the division - Darlington looked set for defeat. But they never gave up hope.

The result was certainly an upset as Luton arrived at Feethams in second place.

They were unbeaten in eight games, but Darlington boss Tommy Taylor insisted: "I thought they scored their second goal against the run of play.

"I thought if we could carry on as we were, and keep getting at them, we had a chance of scoring a goal.

"If we could get one, the crowd would pick them up and we would get another and that's what happened.

"I thought they looked average. Take the boy Howard out of the team and they haven't got much. I know the winger, Valois, ain't bad, but Philly (Brumwell) kept him quiet.

"I'm pleased for the players that they got a result because they've had to play four games in just over a week.

"But without a win on Tuesday, this will mean nothing to us."

The visitors attacked from the kick-off and were on top for the first 20 minutes, during which they deservedly opened the scoring through Howard 's glancing header from a Jean-Louis Valois pin-point corner.

But more entertaining was Dean Crowe's hilarious miss.

Crowe had the chance to put Luton in front after just six minutes, but after receiving Mathew Spring's slide-rule pass from the right, Crowe managed to lift the ball over an open goal from just six yards.

After the goal Darlington slowly got a grip on the game as they managed to dilute Luton's attacks, and just before the half-hour mark Gary Pearson put Quakers back on level terms with a powerful free-kick from 25 yards.

The half-time score was a fair reflection on the game, although both sides wasted chances to take the lead.

Andy Collett had to be at his bravest when he took the ball off Crowe's feet then Conlon put a free header wide.

With a strong wind at their backs, Darlington bossed the first 15 minutes of the second period.

But they paid for Mark Ford missing a great chance as seconds later Luton took the lead again with a fantastic strike from French winger Valois.

He controlled a cross-field pass before directing an 18-yard cracker just inside the post, leaving Collett with no chance.

This momentarily knocked Quakers out of their stride, leaving Howard a great chance to wrap up the points.

But he put a header wide from six yards and this sparked Quakers back into life with Paul Heckingbottom then Richard Hodgson both going close to an equaliser.

And then came a spell which Sheeran will never forget.

Although Taylor admits Sheeran has been given his chance because of the dearth of strikers at the club, he was delighted his faith had been repaid.

He said: "Sheeran is a very clever centre-forward. He makes great runs all the time, he takes his marker away, then he checks back and leaves a defender in there. It's natural and you can't teach that."

It was from two of these runs that Sheeran scored his goals.

For his first he showed intelligence in following up Hodgson's tame effort, which rebounded off the keeper, to blast into the net from 12 yards.

That Hodgson should have converted his one-on-one chance can be forgotten.

With two minutes to play Pearson drifted a perfect pass over a static defence to Sheeran and the youngster produced a lovely backwards header from ten yards, which carried enough pace to drift over the stranded keeper and into the net.

"Mark who?" may have been the cry on 73 minutes. But 17 minutes later, the Darlington supporters were cheering Sheeran after he became the local hero.

Read more about Darlington FC here.