Quakers' good work going unrewarded

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SO LONG is it since Darlington started the season without collecting three points from either of their first two league games, they can count a current Premier League side among their League Two rivals when it last happened.

It was the opening day of the 2003/04 season when Hull City began their five-season ascent to the Premier League by hammering Quakers 4-1 at the KC Stadium, and the following weekend Darlington lost their first game at the Arena to Kidderminster.

Hull have long left Darlington behind since that trouncing, but since then Quakers have managed to win at least one of their first two league matches.

Until this campaign that is.

An early win always helps to prolong pre-season optimism and although it has not happened this time around, evidence so far suggests supporters need not be concerned.

Points may be more important than performances, but Darlington’s two league games, despite being draws, instil reasons to be cheerful.

The second half against Exeter on the opening day might not have been Quakers at their best, but Darlington dominated the first half that day while last week’s win in the Carling Cup at Walsall was one of the finest performances during Dave Penney’s reign.

Saturday saw Quakers meet similar standards and they came within inches of winning with Jason Kennedy and Billy Clarke both hitting the woodwork within seconds of each other during a spell in which slick passing and swift counter-attacking seemed destined to be rewarded with a goal.

Livewire Clarke believed his 25-yard shot, struck from a central position after dispossessing Notts County defender Michael Johnson, had bounced over the goal-line after keeper Kevin Pilkington had tipped it on to the underside of the bar.

Seconds later he teed up Kennedy to shoot from the same position, this time the effort cannoned off the inside of the post, rolled across the goal-line and out of play.

Penney said: “I’m not sure if Billy’s shot went over the line, people in the stands will have had a better view than me.

“They had a chance when their striker (Delroy Facey) went around our keeper and missed an open goal, but in general I think we were the better side.

“We just needed a break in the final third, we didn’t get it when Jason had that shot that hit the post.”

Facey’s miss came after Simon Brown, unnecessarily, raced way out of his penalty area to meet a Notts County through-ball.

Facey skipped around the keeper but fortunately for Quakers his shot from an angle rolled wide.

A let-off for Darlington, the chance came during a bright spell for the Magpies, who had their fair share of chances too, with Neil Austin twice tackling Facey as he was about to shoot.

Brown also had a lob saved, but although the hosts had their scoring opportunities, it was Quakers who held the upper hand in the first half.

Steve Foster saw opposition captain Mike Edwards block a goal-bound header on the line, before wingers David Poole and Adam Griffin had efforts saved by the keeper.

Penney pinpoints the pair as being key to the change of play, and says the departure of target man Tommy Wright has also been a factor.

“Now that Tommy has gone we no longer have that option to release the ball early,” he said.

“We’ve always wanted to get the ball down and pass it, to be brave on the ball.

“We said the same last season, but with not having that chance to play the ball up to Tommy it is making us pass.

“We’re attacking at speed now, breaking with pace.

We’ve got Pooley and Griff getting up and down on the wings but sometimes we need a bit more care in the final third.”

The second period did not match the first half’s chances count, with both keepers rarely troubled, although Johnson’s header from a corner required Brown to acrobatically tip on to the bar.

Early in the half Gregg Blundell was sent on and although his keen running stretched the home defence, a more accurate pass would have set up Griffin in Notts’ penalty area.

Blundell had replaced Adam Proudlock, whose lack of fitness meant he struggled to make an impact, having also played in midweek.

Penney explained the Carling Cup games were a reason for the game petering out.

He said: “We’ve had a tough week because we travelled away twice. We got back late after playing at Walsall and it was tough on Notts County too because their game went to extra time.

“You could see where it affected the game because it got stretched in the second half.

We just needed someone to take a chance but we couldn’t.

“It is a good start.

“We might have been better off losing one game if we had won the other as we would have had three points and not two.

“But the performances have been pleasing. The tempo is better than last year so if we carry on playing like that then the results will come.”