DARLINGTON manager Alun Armstrong said that he was happy with the three points against bottom club Telford, but not overly impressed with his team’s defending.

Quakers made hard work of disposing of the basement boys until striker Jacob Hazel scored twice in the last eight minutes to complete his hat-trick and send a huge sigh of relief around Blackwell Meadows.

Telford had defender Harry Flowers deservedly red carded for thumping Hazel, but through impressive striker Montel Gibson, still caused plenty of anxious moments in the Darlington defence – and he could even have clinched the points for the visitors in a nervous second half.

Nevertheless, Quakers have picked up seven points from three home games in a week, and are now in joint-second, a point behind leaders Fylde. In terms of a play-off place, they’re 11 ahead of eighth-placed Kidderminster.

“We were totally in control, then they had a man sent off and the game changed,” said Armstrong. “It was 100 per cent a red card, but we seemed to lose composure. We got a warning, but we didn’t take any notice and they scored a great goal, but he shouldn’t have been allowed to do that in the first place. It was basic defending to allow him to chest the ball down, turn and shoot.

“Telford defended ever so well, they worked so hard, and went 5-3-1 at one stage to make themselves hard to break down. But the back door was open constantly. It’s so annoying because we’re giving teams something to cling on to – we’ve got to take massive things from this game defensively. It was like chalk and cheese from the Southport game, we can’t defend like that and expect to win games of football unfortunately.”

Hazel’s first hat-trick for the club gave him 17 goals for the season, and Armstrong said: “It was massively important that we got the goals.

“Haze did what he does best. Some of his link-up play isn’t good, but he scores goals. He was brought in to score goals, and that’s what he’s doing. He’s a willing learner, and he works hard.”

Quakers were on top when Telford had Flowers dismissed, striking Hazel on the ground after he had climbed all over him going for a high ball.

But the incident only seemed to encourage Telford, who took the lead on 24 minutes when Gibson controlled a long ball, turned and cleverly hit a dipping shot over Darlington keeper Tommy Taylor.

Gibson had another goal disallowed by a close offside decision from a long clearance by keeper Joe Young, then Byron Moore broke down the left after Jake Lawlor slipped and forced Taylor into a full-length save.

Even though Quakers had more of the ball and were patient in their build-up, they couldn’t get behind the Telford defence, but they managed to equalise on 38 minutes when Jack Lambert’s cross from the left seemed to deceive Telford keeper Young, who could only tip the ball on to the post for Hazel to tap in.

Quakers pinned Telford back in the second half, but were still suspect against the breakaway.

Alex Purver found Hazel with a good 30-yard pass, but Hazel’s effort was blocked by Young, and then a defender cleared his follow-up off the line.

Nathan Newall put a good ball into the six-yard box but nobody could get on the end of it, Hazel volleyed wide after a slip by Jordan Piggott, and then he swivelled quickly and hooked the ball just over the top from another chance on the edge of the box.

With the tension mounting, with six minutes left, Hedley crossed deep from the right for Hazel to rise above his marker, and head carefully over Young into the net.

Quakers opened Telford up again in stoppage time when Newall crossed for Hazel to nod home for his hat-trick.