Mossley 2 Darlington 6

Too many Darlington matches these days are nondescript affairs, lacking in incident but sadly overflowing with tedium.

So Saturday’s FA Cup thriller made for a welcome excursion away from the Blue Square Premier.

Eight goals, three red cards, an outfield player going in goal and a penalty made for an incident-packed classic, which will live long in the memory.

Not least because of an enraged PA announcer, who mounted an impulsive, if unwise, verbal attack on referee Richard Wigglesworth after he had sent off a third Mossley player midway through the second half.

It was 4-2 by that stage and with Mossley down to eight men the contest was over.

With their hosts entrenched in the lower reaches of the Evo-Stik League First Division North, Quakers should not have allowed themselves to be dragged into a contest with part-time opposition who started the day 74 places further down the non-league pyramid.

But the Lilywhites matched Quakers until the game exploded into life on 25 minutes when keeper Peter Collinge was sent off for conceding a penalty by tripping Chris Senior.

Right-back Ben Richardson went between the sticks but he was unable to stop Tommy Wright’s spot-kick and thereafter Darlington were on top as they went on to record their biggest Cup away win since putting seven past Evenwood in 1956.

Aside from sloppily conceding two goals they eased into the first round and have been handed a home tie with Bristol Rovers.

Manager Mark Cooper said: “The main thing was that we got through. You worry about everything else later.

“All week was about letting the players know what these kind of games are all about because I’ve been there myself.

I’ve been on the other side trying to get a scalp. If you’re not mentally right you get turned over.

“We were mentally right apart from a couple of silly defensive mistakes. The two centre- backs were all over the place.

“We looked comfortable at 2-0 then should have had a penalty, which would have made it 3-0. It was a blatant penalty, absolute stonewall, and that would have been another sending-off for their keeper.

“But the ref booked Chris Moore for diving, which was a ridiculous decision.”

That incident came shortly after Marc Bridge-Wilkinson had made it 2-0 with a neat turn and volley from the edge of the penalty area after collecting Ian Miller’s raking pass from right-back.

Quakers were cruising.

They looked confident on the ball in midfield as opposed to being hustled and harried into losing possession, as had happened in the early stages.

But a sudden loss of concentration at the back saw what should have been an easily- defended Mossley ball down the middle turn into a killer pass, allowing Mike Oates to finish past Sam Russell.

Senior made it 3-1 three minutes into the second half after collecting Bridge- Wilkinson’s neat pass. But two minutes later ten-man Mossley were again allowed to pull a goal back.

This time Steve Settle’s run went unmarked. He was found by team-mate Daryl Weston before firing beyond Russell.

Just past the hour mark came the defining moments.

Moore’s corner was not cleared and Kevin Austin lashed home from close-range to score his first goal since 1998, when he notched against Manchester City.

It was only the sixth career goal for 37-year-old Austin and the devastation at conceding to such a rare scorer was perhaps too much for Mossley midfielder Chris Rowney, who saw fit to leap two-footed at Michael Brough.

It was an appalling challenge on a player making his first appearance of the season after picking up a knee injury in the summer. Brough had to be subbed but hopes he can play at Wimbledon this weekend.

Wigglesworth’s easiest decision of the day was to redcard Rowney for his ‘tackle’ – imagine Karl Henry without the subtlety – which sparked an 18-man pushing and shoving match. It resulted in Settle receiving a second yellow card, leaving Mossley down to eight men for the last half hour.

That’s when the announcer, overpowered by a sense of injustice, became incandescent.

He bellowed: “I don’t believe you referee, you’re turning this into a farce!”

It was a laughable comment.

All three red card decisions were correct, as Mossley manager Shaun Higgins agreed, and was hardly to blame for Rowney throwing himself around like he was taking part in Thai-boxing free-for-all.

But the tackle was out of keeping with the good-natured welcome Quakers received at Seel Park.

The 4,000 capacity ground is comparable in appearance to Brandon or Tow Law, and with its boxy main stand, sloping pitch and wonderful vista of the moors, would not look out of place in the Northern League.

Supporters supped their pints on terraces and the frustrated home fans probably required such refreshment as they saw Darlington exploit the acres of space while Mossley used a 3-3-1 formation.

Quakers wrapped it up with two late goals. Gary Smith saw a long-range effort take a fortunate bounce over the stand-in keeper and Senior added the sixth by firing high into the net after a quick freekick.

Match facts

Goals:

0-1: Wright (25, penalty low to keeper’s right)

0-2: Bridge-Wilkinson (31, smart right footed volley from the edge of the penalty area)

1-2: Oates (39, smart finish from an angle after being played in by Blackshaw)

1-3: Senior (48, coolly passed the ball beyond the keeper following Bridge- Wilkinson’s pass)

2-3: Settle (50, evaded Darlington’s defence to latch on to a through-ball and shoot past Russell)

2-4: Austin (61, lashed home from close-range after a Moore corner was not cleared)

2-5: G Smith (77, low 25-yard effort deceived the keeper after hitting a divot)

2-6: Senior (80, blasted high into net from 18 yards after receiving possession via a quick free-kick) Bookings: Bridge-Wilkinson (15, foul), Moore (32, diving), Wright (45, persistent infringements); Weston (57, foul)

Sendings-off: Collinge (23, professional foul), Rowney (62, violent conduct), Settle (62, second bookable offence)

Referee: Richard Wigglesworth (Doncaster) – Got all three red card decisions correct but made a mistake when booking Moore for diving when he should have awarded a penalty 6

Attendance: 619

Entertainment: ✰✰✰✰✰

MOSSLEY (4-4-2): Collinge 3; Richardson 6, Chalmers 6, WATSON 6, Warner 5 (Hampson 70, 5); Settle 4, Rowney 4, Weston 6, Blackshaw 5 (Kay 78); Oates 6, Fish 4 (Barrow 27, 5). Subs (not used): Hare, Murray, Salisbury, Connor

DARLINGTON (4-4-1-1):

6 Russell: Had little to keep him occupied aside from twice picking the ball out of the net;

6 Miller: Looked comfortable at right-back but would be better suited alongside Hone

5 Hone: Far from his best game and, along with Austin, came in for criticism from the manager

6 Austin: Grabbed a very rare goal but looked less than secure at the back 6Brown: Came close to scoring with a thunderous effort in injury-time;

7 Moore: Wrongly booked for diving when he had been scythed down by the keeper

7 Brough: Slotted in for his first appearance of the season but hobbled off with a nasty ankle injury

7 G Smith: Appeared almost embarrassed to score with a shot which bobbled off the turf

8 Senior: His most productive game so far: scored twice and won a penalty;

8 Bridge-Wilkinson: Could be a real find. Always looked to pass the ball rather than hoof it;

7 Wright: Confidently rolled his penalty into the corner and took a battering from the Mossley defenders

Subs:

Waite (for Brough 66): A steady display but there was no need for heroics as he came on against eight men 6

J Gray (for Moore 73) Clarke (for Austin 77) (not used): Oldfield (gk), Chandler, McReady, M Smith

MAN OF THE MATCH

MARC Bridge-Wilkinson – Rarely lost possession from his position behind the lone striker.