IT is looking more and more likely that the race for the Northern League Division One title will go right down to the wire, but Darlington kept the pressure up on Spennymoor Town with a patient performance at Sunderland RCA.

All Martin Gray’s side can do is continue accumulating points in the hope Moors will slip up with one eye on their FA Vase final at Wembley on May 4, and they did that last night despite struggling to finish off their hosts at Meadow Park.

The game finished 4-0 in Quakers’ favour, but after taking a first half lead through Stephen Thompson’s penalty, Gray’s men struggled to put the game to bed.

They were fortunate in the fact that RCA rarely tested keeper Mark Bell and against a better team they could have been punished for wasting chance after chance.

It wasn’t until the 83rd minute that the floodgates opened and they had a wonderful piece of skill from Thompson to thank before Leon Scott and Steven Johnson completed the scoring.

“We needed that second goal,” Gray said. “It was another great performance from us. We controlled the game from start to finish and it just took too long for us to get that second goal.

“The players got a bit anxious at times, but as I say once that second goal came we were fine and what a goal it was. I don’t care what level this is, to control the ball and chip the keeper on a difficult pitch is fantastic skill and it gave the players relief and then we went on and got another two.

“We needed to be a bit more clinical. We had several chances and could have had the game wrapped up long before the 83rd minute, but we’ve scored 129 goals so they must be doing something right.

“There’s seven games to go and we just have to make sure we pick up three points on Saturday. It’ll be a really tough challenge at Whitley Bay but we’re doing our job and all we can do is win the games we have left.”

With the advantage of playing down the considerable slope at Meadow Park, Quakers went close to taking the lead in the 18th minute lead when Thompson ghosted past two defenders and shot, but Forden managed to make a low save.

Adam Nicholls went close when he burst into the area and fired wide, before Thompson missed from a fantastic ball over the top from Stephen Harrison.

As they had done on Saturday, Quakers dominated possession and their efforts finally paid off when they were awarded a 31st minute penalty.

Thompson stepped up again and fired the ball high to Forden’s left to score his 18th goal of the season.

Quakers could have been three up before the break, but they were wasteful with their chances, Thompson and Craig Gott both missing glaring opportunities.

Knowing they would be kicking up the slope in the second half, the visitors could have done with another goal, but that didn’t come and again, chances went begging.

Thompson fed Nicholls inside the area, but his effort was saved before the keeper denied Emms, and Thompson blasted over.

The longer the game went on, the more frustrated Quakers got and they continued to pass up opportunities to put the game beyond RCA.

Then, with less than ten minutes remaining the flood gates finally opened. Thompson got his second with a delightful chip before Leon Scott’s shot was deflected in for Quakers’ third.

Substitute Steven Johnson chipped in with his customary goal from the bench to complete the scoring when he finished from Joe Tait’s header across goal.

Whitley Bay are next up for Quakers this Saturday and they will be hoping to make it 14 wins in a row – their best run this season – while Moors are away to Billingham Town tonight.