Our form sends a message to promotion rivals, says Darlington striker Gaskell

Quakers have taken 22 points from a possible 24 points since winning at Hyde United in December, Saturday’s memorable win at Salford City making it five wins on the bounce.

Gaskell took his tally for the club to 13 by scoring twice in a 4-3 win that came on home territory for the Manchester-based striker.

He said: “It means a little bit more because a few of my friends and family were there, it’s always nice to put on a bit of a show for them. To score two goals in a 4-3 win, I’m happy with that.

“You always want to score big goals in front of a big crowd against a good team. I think I only had two chances and I took them.

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“I saw the keeper coming out at 100mph for the first one, so I tried a little chip over him, and the second one was after Graeme Armstrong managed to rifle the ball across the box, so it was an easy tap-in.”

Leaders Blyth are also in good form and remain 11 points ahead of third-placed Darlington, who have four games in hand.

Gaskell added: “We’re on a great run of form, we’ve just beaten Salford, so other teams will be looking over their shoulders.

“We’ve just got to keep on going and the dressing room is buzzing.

“There’s some good characters in there, they keep the lads going.”

Saturday’s thrilling three-point haul against one of the team’s promotion rivals saw Darlington recover from being 2-0 down at half-time, and then 3-1 on the hour.

Unperturbed, Quakers showed admirable resolve, and Gaskell said: “It was one of the best games you’ll ever see if you’re a neutral, to come back like that away from home against a solid team like Salford and take three points was unbelievable.

“It shows the mentality of the lads. We’re all winners, you’ve got to stick together.

“We were 3-1 down and didn’t give up, we carried on going and if you’ve got that mentality you’ve always got hope.

“When you get it back to 3-3 after being 3-1 down you’re happy with a draw, but then Nathan Cartman came on, got between two defenders and scored. That’s what he’s all about.”

Gaskell earned admiration himself for his bravery having played on despite dislocating his shoulder during the early stages on Saturday.

It is an injury he has previously sustained, so was capable of popping his shoulder back into place and prepared to play on.

“There had been a challenge in the air, and it was just the way I landed that caused it,” he said. “The physio said I should come off, but I said no I’m going to carry on.

“It was aching throughout the game, but I had a couple of painkillers and I was alright. It’s happened before, it was a few years ago and I had to have an operation on it.

“Usually when it comes out I can pop it back in straight away and carry on, but today it took me five or six minutes, which was a bit unusual. There is a method to it, which looks a bit unusual.

“But once it’s back in the shoulder swells up so I know it’s not going to happen again. It doesn’t hurt when it comes out, it’s when it goes back in that you get the pain.”

Gaskell will not be involved on Tuesday evening when manager Martin Gray assembles a second string side to fulfil a fixture in the Doodson League Cup.

Darlington are at Ossett Town in the third round of the much-maligned competition, though striker Amar Purewal will be involved.

It will be his first appearance since sustaining rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in December 2014.