Thompson scores a cracker as Darlington maintain momentum

WHEN a team puts together a run of form as commanding as Darlington’s, inevitably that they will begin to churn out a series of statistics that illustrate their superiority.

Saturday’s trip to Mossley extended their position as league leaders with an 11th win, their seventh clean sheet in a row and saw them score their 40th league goal of the season.

One of the most eye-catching records, however, belongs not to the team’s collective effort, but to Stephen Thompson, who timed his 50th goal for the club to perfection.

It was his 100th game and he marked the occasion with a fine goal, the type only he can score: lobbed adroitly over a defender and goalkeeper from the corner of the penalty area.

It was a corker and came as he continues to drag himself back into the form that made him saw him become the subject of transfer speculation last season.

“I didn’t realise how good a goal it was until I watched it back on the highlights,” said Thompson, whose one goal in every two games is a remarkable strike rate given that he rarely plays as a striker.

“Now that I’ve seen it again, it’s up there with one of the best I’ve scored.

“It was instinct. I probably shouldn’t have had a shot. It’s one of them where it’s worldy if it goes in, and if it hadn’t I’d have had people screaming at me for shooting.”

He added: “We don’t feel like we’re going to get beat. If you keep clean sheets you’re going to win games and at the minute we don’t look like conceding.

“We rode our luck against Spennymoor, but we didn’t concede again and with the players we’ve got we’re always going to score goals.”

Thompson’s goal came at the beginning of the second half and effectively sealed the outcome of another match which Darlington controlled.

It has been the same pattern of play recently, never in danger of conceding, goalkeeper Peter Jameson well-protected by the familiar backline of Gary Brown, Alan White, Chris Hunter and Ian Watson.

They provide the platform on which Darlington’s offensive players can build momentum, and they took the lead midway through the first half with a simple goal.

Brown’s throw-in to Adam Mitchell led to an in-field pass which gave Terry Galbraith chance to fire low across goalkeeper Andrew Farrimond.

“It was a slow start today, it was a bit stop-start because of the referee, there were a few offsides and free-kicks, so we didn’t get our momentum going,” said manager Martin Gray. “But once we got that goal we got stronger and stronger.

“It was a very good strike, even though it got a little deflection.”

The second goal came seconds before half-time, Thompson’s involvement key. He dinked the ball over the top of the defence, David Dowson blasted across goal and at close-range centre-back Tom Dean could not avoid diverting the ball past Farrimond.

Once Thompson had netted his fourth of the season, after Amar Purewal had knocked White’s long free-kick into his path, the points were in the bag – 27 out of the last 27 available.

For the final 40 minutes Gray replaced Purewal and Watson with Graeme Armstrong and Leon Scott, both having been rested following the intense midweek win over Spennymoor Town.

“It’s nice to be able to do it, to freshen things up and leave someone of Armstrong’s calibre on the bench for an hour,” said Gray.

“I was able to give Dowson and Galbraith a game and it keeps everybody fresh and on their toes ready for a big game next week.”

That game being the FA Trophy tie at St Neots Town on Saturday. Quakers’ teenagers will contest Wednesday’s less than prestigious Doodson Sport Cup tie at home to Whitby Town, although rules state that eight first-teamers should be named in the squad.

For a spell Darlington looked good for a fourth goal.

Armstrong was inches away from connecting when he flung himself at a Mitchell cross, Thompson stung the keeper’s hands when letting fly from 18 yards before Dowson hit the bar after intercepting a weak back-pass and chipping the stranded Farrimond.

Three days after overcoming Spennymoor, victory capped a fine week for Darlington who on Saturday saw Moors lose again, thrashed 6-1 at home by Bamber Bridge, and third-placed Salford continued their poor run.

They are now six points adrift of Darlington with two games in hand but with an inferior goal difference.

“Spennymoor’s result today just goes to show how important that win was on Wednesday,” added Gray. “Had we got beat in midweek there could’ve been a hangover, and that’s probably what has happened to Spennymoor, but it’s not about them, it’s about us.

“The only thing I’d complain about would be our lack of goals. That’s being selfish, but it could’ve been 6-0 today.

“We’re creating chances, that’s the most important thing, and we’re scoring goals and keeping clean sheets.”

MATCH RATINGS

Goals: Galbraith (24, 0-1), Dean og (45, 0-2), Thompson (47, 0-3)

Bookings: Anderson (56, foul); Galbraith (85, foul); Deveney (89, foul)

Referee: David Fisher 6

Attendance: 388

Entertainment: 3/5

Mossley (4-5-1): Farrimond 6; Henson 6, Dean 6, Granite 6, McDonnell 6; Pratt 6, Cross 5, Davidson 5 (Carroll 53, 6), Anderson 5 (Deveney 58, 6), Marie 5 (Brown 63, 6); Keogh 5. Subs (not used): Purcell, Ruiz

Darlington (4-4-2): Jameson 7, Brown 7, White 8, Hunter 7, Watson 7 (Scott 52, 6); A Mitchell 7, Portas 7 (D Mitchell 87), GALBRAITH 8, Thompson 8; Dowson 7, Purewal 7 (Armstrong 51, 6). Subs (not used): Cocks, Hatch

Man of the Match

TERRY Galbraith – Recalled to the team and took his chance.