Darlington 1 AFC Telford United 0

A second half penalty by Mark Beck, his 17th league goal of the season, gave Quakers victory in their last home league game of the season.

Both teams had good chnces, but Darlington keeper Adam Bartlett pulled off some good stops late in the game to keep a clean sheet.

(There are interviews with Martin Gray, Nathan Cartman, Phil Turnbull and Gary Brown all coming up on the official website)

The victory puts Quakers fourth in the table, going into the last game of the season at Salford next Saturday.

Quakers had a half chance in the second minute, when a long throw by Gary Brown was flicked on by Mark Beck, and Nathan Cartman couldn’t quite get a firm connection a yard or so out.

But Quakers nearly slipped up at the other end with a header back towards Bartlett by Liam Marrs that Lee Hughes touched past Bartlett, but the covering Gary Brown got the ball away.

Telford had a chance on 20 minutes when they broke away and Hughes picked the ball up on the left hand side, stepped inside, and struck a low shot that Bartlett saved low down to his left.

Quakers replied at the other end, when Gillies crossed from the left for Syers to head just over the bar.

Telford missed the best chance so far when Eddie Jones fired the ball into the box where Hughes scooped the ball wide.

But just on Half time Quakers nearly took the lead when Gillies fired a free kick into the box and Beck flicked the ball just wide of the post.

Half time

Darlington 0 AFC Telford United 0

At the start of the second half, Beck and Gillies both had shots charged down from the edge of the area.

Quakers were awarded a penalty on 52 minutes when Cartman’s backheel put Ferguson into the box, and he was barged to the ground by Samuels. The referee pointed to the spot, and Beck tucked away the penalty.

Quakers nearly went 2-0 up on 58 minutes. Thompson made a great run around the back of the defence on the right, and fired the ball across the face of goal. Gillies picked it up on the far side, and drilled the ball back in for Beck to turn towards goal, but it was cleared off the line by Havern.

Persistence nearly got Quakers a second goal when Cartman and Havern jostled for the ball, allowing Marrs to step in, and he almost succeeded in chipping the ball over the keeper.

Quakers won a free kick from the right for a foul on Marrs that Thompson whipped in, but Brown headed just wide.

Telford nearly levelled on 81 minutes when Reynolds found space on the six yard box and fired towards goal, but Bartlett blocked well, and the keeper was quickly on his feet to hold the follow up from Hibbert.

But Quakers nearly got a second when Beck fired just wide of the right hand post, and at the other end Bartlett saved at full stretch from Westwood.

And after Saunders had penalty appeals turned down, Bartlett saved well again from Bailey as Telford pushed for a point in the closing minutes.

Attendance 1,800.

Darlington:

Bartlett, Marrs, Ferguson, Turnbull (sub Scott 65), Hunter, Brown, Thompson, Syers (sub Falkingham 65), Beck, Cartman (sub Saunders 70), Gillies

Subs not used:, Wilczynski, Wearmouth

Telford: Rawlings, Samuels, Higham, Bailey, Havern, Fitzpatrick, Rea, Jones (sub Hibbert 62), Hughes (sub Westwood 76), Wilson, Lilly (Reynolds 62)

Subs: McCarthy, Royle