Darlington brushed Droylsden aside with a very powerful performance at Heritage Park.

With Salford also winning, it looks as if the fight for the automatic promotion place will be between Quakers and Salford City, who beat Spennymoor 2-0 today. But if Quakers win their last five games, then they will be champions regardless of what Salford do.

Quakers scored four times in a thrilling first half, and they could have scored more as they sliced the visitors open at will in one of their best attacking performances for some time.

Quakers missed a great chance after just 90 seconds, a clearance by Droylsden keeper Craig Ellison rebounded off Graeme Armstrong square into the path of Nathan Cartman who took careful aim 25 yards out, but sidefooted wide of an open goal.

And in the third minute, Leon Scott found Stephen Thompson who chipped the ball into the net over the keeper, but was flagged for offside.

Droylsden stunned Quakers by taking the lead after 6 minutes. The ball seemed to bounce off Gary Brown and into the path of Ciaran Kilheeney, who ran forward and hit a 25 yarder that bounced off the post and into the net.

Quakers had a chance to equalise on 7 minutes, when Alan White nodded Adam Mitchell’s cross down for Cartman to volley, but Ellison was quickly off his line to block.

But Quakers broke through on 9 minutes. Adam Mitchell floated a free kick from the left into the box, and Alan White, on his return to the side, glanced the ball past the keeper into the net.

Graeme Armstrong made a great run down the right after 17 minutes, holding off a defender all the way, and after cutting in from the right, he chose to shoot straight at Ellison, instead of pulling the ball back for either Portas or Mitchell in better positions.

But Quakers were back again inside the Droylsden box on 20 minutes. Galbraith picked up the ball on the left, played it inside to Thompson, who laid the ball off for Mitchell to hit first time into the net with the help of a slight deflection.

Quakers had a good chance again on 28 minutes. Brown played the ball forward towards Cartman, who cleverly dummied the ball for Armstrong in the clear, but Armstrong fired straight at Ellison.

Quakers went 3-1 up on 29 minutes. This time Thompson got away down the left and played the ball into the near post, where Cartman nipped in and turned the ball past Ellison.

It was 4-1 three minutes later. Mitchell won possession just outside the box, ran forward, and set up Armstrong to score his 21st league goal of the season.

Droylsden then nearly scored at the other end when Hillhouse got through, but Jameson blocked, and when Kilheeney followed up, Hunter cleared off the line.

The drama continued. Quakers were furious on 37 minutes when Mitchell weaved his way into the box and seemed to be scythed down by the last defender Nat Kerr, but the ref after looking at his assistant, booked Mitchell for simulation.

 

Droylsden were reduced to ten men a minute before half time, when Armstrong was pulled back by Dogan on the  edge of the area – although the foul appeared to be inside – and the Droylsden defender was shown his second yellow.

There was another chance right at the start of the second half, when sub Ian Watson found Armstrong in the clear, but Armstrong fired just over.

But Quakers didn’t have long to wait for the fifth. Watson won possession in midfield, ran forward and fired towards goal, but the ball was partly blocked by a defender and it ran for Cartman to tuck under the keeper for his second of the game.

Ten man Droylsden pulled a goal back on 52 minutes. Sub Rob Doran got away down the right and forced Jameson into a good save, but the ball ran for Fernando Moke to slot home, although the ball appeared to deflect into the net off Mitchell.

Cartman nearly got his hat trick on 61 minutes, when White headed a Galbraith corner down to him, he turned quickly but Ellison blocked his shot.

In their next attack, Thompson surged into the box, and hit a blistering shot against the left hand post.

But Quakers lost some of their momentum, and encouraged Droylsden to come forward, and after Brown lost possession, Moke curled a right foot shot just wide.

However, long range specialist Galbraith nearly made it 6-1. He picked up the ball 25 yards out, glanced up, and hit curling a left foot shot that Ellison pushed away.

And from the corner, the ball came out for Nelson Mota to curl into the box for Cartman to have a downward header blocked by Ellison.