Neil Wainwright was the star attraction at Saturday's game against Kidderminster Harriers, but it was his replacement Richard Hodgson who stole the show.

With his first touch, Hodgson, on as a substitute for Friday signing Wainwright, delivered a deep cross into Harriers' six yard box, where a penalty was conceded and then converted by Mark Ford.

The game needed the goal because until Gary Bennett's tactical switch - he also replaced midfielder Brian Atkinson with right-winger Mark Convery at the same time as Hodgson's entrance - Quakers had looked to be running out of ideas having started the game very impressively.

The opening stages saw Neil Maddison at the hub of every Darlington move, collecting the ball from deep in his own half and feeding it to the more attack-minded players: Wainwright and Danny Mellanby in particular.

But the impetus faded away, aided by Sam Shilton's very late challenge on Wainwright who had looked, potentially, Darlington's most key weapon until the ex-Hartlepool wing-back was successful in numbing Darlington's most potent attacker.

As a result, Wainwright will now miss Monday night's League Cup match at home to Sheffield United.

Assistant manager Mick Tait was relieved to get Quakers' first league win of the season in the bag, especially with tricky matches with Hartlepool and Bristol Rovers to come in the next week.

"We needed the three points after last week. We played really well down at Southend but didn't get anything out of the game so it was vitally important that we took the three points today."

Bennett made a tactical change by dropping Hodgson and Convery - who played alongside Conlon in a 4-3-3 formation last week - to the bench, and bringing in Wainwright and Mellanby to play in a 4-4-2.

Mellanby explained: "I think the gaffer wanted Barry to get more help up front, someone to get his flick-ons and play alongside around him."

And the tactic seemed to work as Conlon won plenty of headers with the likes of Mellanby, Convery, Hodgson and Wainwright all being on hand to pick up the play.

"He murdered them today because they aren't the biggest team in the world," said Tait.

"But Barry is starting to snatch at his chances a bit. He's had a few chances today but because he's gone a while without scoring he's starting to snatch at them.

"You can get critical and say he lost the ball a couple of times, but how many times did have the ball? It was more than anybody else in the team."

The robust frontman thought he'd scored his first goal in a Darlington shirt but his header was disallowed for offside. "I just wish it had of stood for him because you could see how much it meant to him in his face," said Tait.

Kidderminster were clearly wary of Wainwright's abilty, and until Shilton's intervention, the ex-Sunderland winger looked likely to provide the game's first goal.

"We played with just the one winger today with the three in midfield and we didn't quite create as much as we would've liked. But we were pleased with the way the game was going.

"We did have chances in the first half and it did start to peter out a little bit, hence the substitutions to try and liven things up and liven things up we did.

"In the first half we had them very worried about the threat of Neil, although Neil didn't produce too much today, it was good that they always had two men over marking him which gave other people space."

Richard Hodgson had only been on the pitch a matter of seconds when referee Mike Ryan pointed to the penalty spot when Barry Conlon was barged into by Parfait Medou-Otte following Hodgson's delivery.

Similar to a spot-kick taken against Ayr United in pre-season, Mark Ford blasted the penalty into the top right corner, leaving Stuart Brock with no chance.

The opener signalled a frantic five minute spell which saw Hodgson cross from the left in the 68th minute to set-up a dream goal for Mellanby who is quickly writing his own Roy of the Rovers story.

The 22-year-old, who received a standing ovation when he was subbed with nine minutes remaining, was a regular at Feethams until he began playing for West Auckland and then Bishop Auckland a couple of years ago, and Saturday's game was his first start for the club having impressed as a substitute at Southend.

Mellanby admitted he wasn't prepared to score on his home debut.

"I didn't what to do, I just ran! My Dad was in the crowd but I didn't go over to him, but it was brilliant to get a goal in my first game."

Harriers' penalty villain, Medou-Otte received his marching orders on 73 minutes for stamping on Conlon with the striker on the floor but the sending-off was irrelevant because the points were already won as Quakers went on to dominate the remainder of the game.

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