Mission accomplished.

It took two tense end-of-season encounters and although they missed out on the title, Darlington achieved their pre-season ambition by securing promotion via the play-offs.

Twelve months after succumbing to Ramsbottom United in the play-off semi-final, Quakers ended the season on the most remarkable high by beating Bamber Bridge in last Saturday’s final.

It was just reward for the runners-up after finishing eight points ahead of third-placed Brig, having given Class of ’92-backed Salford City a run for their considerable money.

Last summer’s takeover of Salford by five millionaire ex-Man United players and a Singapore billionaire businessman gave Darlington fierce competition for the sole automatic promotion spot and it became a two-horse race.

There were other contenders, among them Spennymoor Town, a team Darlington defeated 2-0 in August – Graeme Armstrong scored both goals - in what proved to be one of their most complete performances of the season.

But all eyes were on Salford and Quakers and they met in September at Heritage Park, Darlington losing a tight contest 1-0 during a sticky spell in which they did not win six matches in all competitions.

“It’s how we react that is the most important thing,” said manager Martin Gray, as he always does after a setback, and his side did not let him down, stringing together a 16-game unbeaten league run which included nine back-to-back victories.

Most came against mediocre opposition, though there was another win over Spennymoor in November, Graeme Armstrong again scoring.

Much of their success was built on a strong defence that conceded only 13 goals in the first 21 league fixtures, centre-back Alan White rolling back the years at the age of 39.

Suspension meant he missed the thrilling FA Trophy tie at St Neots, which Darlington lost 3-1 after playing virtually the entire match with ten men as Liam Hatch was sent off early on.

He found himself jettisoned for two months during which time Darlington brought in Harrogate RA hotshot Nathan Cartman, but they played only six games due to a string of postponements without which they would surely have been higher than third when they travelled to Salford.

The hosts had overcome a winter wobble by appointing Ramsbottom’s joint-managers and bringing in a glut of the players who had defeated Darlington in the play-offs last season, and they managed a repeat performance.

Quakers lost their composure, Alan White and Adam Mitchell both sent off, as well as the match, leaving Gray’s men six points behind.

But with five games in hand they could afford the defeat, or so they thought.

Their previously strong defence began to crack and the team lost three successive away games, throwing away the title.

Title-winning teams don’t lose to Farsley, Clitheroe and Kendal - all finished in the bottom of half of the table – and the devastating period handed the initiative to Salford which they never looked like relinquishing.

Darlington would’ve overhauled them on goal difference had they won their last nine matches and they gave it a good go.

They won six, including on Easter Monday at Scarborough when Hatch scored his first goal for five months, before hitting the buffers at Lancaster and Warrington, two clubs eager to do a favour for their friends in the North-West.

So Darlington again finished second, but there was no play-off heartache repeat.

Hatch’s absolution was complete when he equalised in an intense semi-final against Spennymoor, then came an adrenaline overload when David Dowson netted a late winner.

The final was less dramatic, but Darlington did enough to deserve a 2-0 win, Cartman and Armstrong scoring to the end the season on an incredible high.

Hit of the Season

Graeme Armstrong – Just pips midfielder Tom Portas to the honour. Both were terrific signings, striker Armstrong scoring 26 goals with several coming in crucial games: Three in total in league matches with Spennymoor, the winner at Northwich and one in each of Quakers’ two play-off games.

Flop of the Season

Adam Reed – A midfielder who arrived in the summer with Football League pedigree having played for York and Burton, but was a passenger and it was no surprise when he was released in September after five anonymous appearances.

Goal of the Season

Tom Portas v Bamber Bridge (February 28)

Among Darlington’s 118 goals in all competitions were some crackers, Portas’ opener in a 2-1 win at home to Brig being the best. He nicked possession on halfway, drove powerfully through midfield before blasting beyond the keeper from 20 yards. His curling effort Lancaster, when the ball was heading two yards wide before swerving into the bottom corner, is also worthy of recognition.

Moment of the Season

David Dowson’s last-minute winner in the play-off semi-final

With Spennymoor Town 2-1 ahead with 12 minutes to go, Liam Hatch came off the bench to level with his first touch and with seconds to go before extra-time fellow substitute Dowson rifled home a dramatic and crucial late winner to send Heritage Park into raptures.

2014-15 record (all competitions)

P53 W33 D9 L11 F118 A54