AN Omar Holness goal saw Darlington pull off a surprise FA Trophy replay win at Blackwell Meadows.

The midfielder netted in the second half to complete a 1-0 victory against the National League promotion hopefuls.

The teams had drawn 2-2 at Solihull before Christmas to set up last night's replay, Holness the goal hero while Chris Elliott made a series of vital saves to ensure Quakers came out on top.

The win means they have a second round tie on Saturday at home to Harrogate Town.

Solihull started predictably enough, living up to their reputation as long-ball merchants by playing the ball early from their own half. Either high or long it did not matter much as long as it was cannoned deep into Darlington territory.

However, knowing what Solihull were going to do did not necessarily mean Darlington were able to stop them doing it, and for the bulk of the first half it was Tim Flowers’ men on top.

He had been vicious in assessment of his players’ performance when the teams drew 2-2 before Christmas, and they started last night like he had given them a similarly venomous pre-match team talk.

Darren Carter curled a corner under the crossbar which Quakers’ keeper Chris Elliott had to push away, Jake Beesley headed over after a Terry Hawkridge cross, and then Beesley into Elliott’s hands after Paul McCallum knocked the ball back to him in an unmarked position.

Elliott, back in the team after being rested on Saturday, made an excellent save to push away a McCallum header after a Carter cross, the former Sunderland midfielder making a big impact.

Darlington saw little of the opposition penalty area, too often they tried to play long passes of their own, perhaps in an attempt to relieve pressure on their own defence, but too often Quakers were careless and it only stymied the yellow tide briefly.

On 32 minutes, however, one simple forward pass saw Quakers create a chance out of nothing.

Adam Campbell played a pass over the top of Solihull’s defence, Jarrett Rivers latched on to it but he did not look confident and prodded his shot too close to goalkeeper Ryan Boot.

But Boot had to be alert when Darlington had a brief spell of attacking before half-time, which saw Holness win a free-kick. Stephen Thompson’s set-piece was blocked by the wall, but Quakers regained possession and Boot parried away a Thompson blast.

Darlington asserted themselves on proceedings early in the second half, which were a reversal of the first 45 minutes in terms of possession.

There was no smashing of the ball down the pitch, of course, Quakers preferring to play football rather than the peak Wimbledon era preferred by Solihull, but it was the home side looking more like scoring.

Holness blazed a shot over, and just before the hour mark right-back Ben Hedley found himself on the edge of the penalty area before trying a reasonable effort down Boot’s throat.

Rivers had a shot blocked when Howe threw himself at the ball on the edge of the penalty area, and then Darlington took a 1-0 on 74 minutes.

It was a move started and finished by Holness. He calmed dribbled the ball out of Darlington’s half, gave it out wide to the left where Thompson and then Rivers advanced, Hatfield had a shot blocked, and it fell nicely to Holness who had timed his run to perfection and he finished calmly.

By this stage Solihull had hardly threatened Elliott’s goal in the second half, and it was almost 2-0 when Campbell got a shot in and Boot saved at the second attempt.

Donawa then made penetrating run, Campbell crossing, Thompson heading wide.

Solihull made a sub, sending on striker Danny Wright for left-back Jamie Reckord, they had to go for it and almost levelled with a McCallum towering back-post header, but Elliott saved, as he did one-handed from Howe in injury time as Darlington survived late pressure.