Darlington 3 Farsley Celtic 1

Lawlor 52 mins, 1-0, Rutledge 61 mins, 2-0, Atkinson 82 mins, 2-1, Main 90+1 mins, 3-1

Attendance 2261

Thanks to our match sponsors, Glenwoods

https://glenwooddecoratingsupplies.co.uk/

and our matchball sponsor, Cadec

https://www.cadec.co.uk/

Quakers completed a remarkable Great Escape with a 3-1 win over Farsley at Blackwell Meadows.

Second bottom and seemingly destined for the Nortthern Premier League at the turn of the year, Steve Watson and Terry Mitchell came along and have led Quakers to a remarkable twelve wins in the remainder of the season.

After a windspoilt first half, Quakers took the lead with a header by Jake Lawlor, then Aidan Rutledge fired a terrific second.

Farsley caused a quite a few hearts to flutter when they pulled a goal back with eight minutes left, but Cedric Main started the celebrations with a goal in stoppage time.

Here's Steve's post match interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVyBT2stsmg

And the goals:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBVcg9UuWYQ

There was a half chance to Farsley in the third minute when a long ball forward dropped for Michael Coulson on the edge of the box, but he sidefooted well wide.

Quakers had their first chance on 7 minutes when Aidan Rutledge and Ben Hedley combined and set up Cameron Salkeld, who fired just over the bar from the edge of the box.

Another chance came along on 11 minutes when Matty Cornish got round the back of the defence on the right and crossed into the middle for Cedric Main to nip in front of his man but didn’t get enough power behind his header to beat Leban.

Quakers won their first corner on 13 minutes. The ball was floated in by Cornish from the right, but Hatfield was pulled up for a foul.

Both sides were struggling to cope with the blustery wind at this stage, but Quakers nearly broke the deadlock on 23 minutes when Salkeld played a 1-2 with Main to give him a clear opening, but he pulled his effort wide of the left hand post.

Quakers got another corner on 27 minutes from a Ben Hedley cross, but Farsley managed to get the ball away.

They went close on 31 minutes when Scott Barrow floated a free kick over from the right, and the ball went just past the far post.

Barrow won a corner on the left on 37 minutes. Cornish’s inswinger was cleared back to him, and his return cross was held by the keeper.

They had a great chance on 42 minutes when Main found Hedley with a good ball on  the right, Hedley cut into the box, switched the ball to his left foot, and fired just wide.

A windspoilt first half ended goalless

Ht Darlington 0 Farsley 0

The second half started with Cameron Salkeld being caught offside as he latched on to a loose ball in the Farsley area.

Quakers had a half chance when Cornish found Barrow on the left, and he fired the ball low into the six yard area where Salkeld tried to flick the ball in, but Leban saved.

Quakers took the lead on 52 minutes. They won a free kick on the left for a foul on Hatfield, and the ball was floated in by Barrow to the far post where Lawlor charged in and headed home, his first goal of the season.

Quakers kept the momentum going, and it was 2-0 on 61 minutes. Aidan Rutledge picked the ball up on the right just outside the box, ran inside to a more central position, and hit a blistering left foot shot into the top corner of the net to send the fans wild! That was his second goal for the club ince arriving on loan.

It was nearly 3-0 when Main twisted and turned on the edge of the area, and struck a right foot shot that went just wide of the right hand post.

Farsley nearly pulled one back, with a free kick from the left that was headed towards goal, but Matty Young saved, to the cheers of the Tin Shed.

Quakers had a chance from a Jarrett Rivers corner that Tom Platt headed straight at Leban

With Farsley committing men forward, there was space for Quakers to exploit, and Rivers put Main around the back of the defence, but his close range effort was blocked.

But Farsley silenced the crowd when they pulled a goal back on 82 minutes, when Atkinson found space to strike a right foot shot past Young.

But it was all over in stoppage time when sub Kallum Griffiths found Salkeld with a good diagonal ball, he ran into the box and had his shot saved, as did Jarrett Rivers on the line by a defender, but Main followed up and blasted home!

The final whistle soon followed to everyone's delight, and players carried out a lap of appreciation, which was well-received by the fans.

Team: Young: Hedley (sub Griffiths 81), Lees, Lawlor, Barrow, Hatfield, Platt, Salkeld (sub Liddle 76), Cornish (sub Rivers 60), Rutledge, Main

Subs: Griffiths,  Nelson, Curry

Booking: Hatfield

Farsley: 

Leban, Sheridan, Carroll, Evans, Watson, Assenso, B Atkinson, Branson, Donaldson, Stevenson, Coulson

Subs: C Atkinson, Allen, Ellis, Silva, Leverest