Darlington 1 Rushall Olympic 0

A second half goal by skipper Kevin Burgess gave Quakers the points against Rushall.

Kev has now scored eight goals this season, and this could be the most crucial yet, as Quakers stayed four points behind leaders Blyth with three games in hand.

[caption id="attachment_19153" align="alignnone" width="300"] Kev is congratulated by his team mates[/caption]

The visitors gave Quakers their toughest game for some time, and were hard to break down.

But the introduction of two subs at half time lifted Quakers, and they took control.

Quakers had to work hard in the first half against Rushall.

Quakers were awarded a free kick about 20 yards out for a foul on Graeme Armstrong in the third minute. Galbraith drove the ball goalwards and it was blocked by a defender, with Quakers claiming handball.

And in Quakers’ next attack, started by a long throw by Chris Hunter , the ball was flicked towards goal by Liam Hardy, but Kieran Preston saved.

Rushall had a chance on 12 minutes when Josh Mckenzie burst down the right, got into the box, and fired into the side netting.

And they had another opportunity on 20 minutes, a 25 yarder by Alex Reid from the left that Peter Jameson held on to at the second attempt.

Rushall had another good chance on 24 minutes when they broke away with a 3 on 2, and the ball fell for Reid who forced Jameson to go full length and save.

Quakers had a chance on 28 minutes when Kevin Burgess headed goalwards from Terry Galbraith’s corner, and the ball hit Cartman on the six yard line.

There was a big scramble in the Rushall box after 29 minutes, which ended when Gary brown turned six yards out and beat the keeper with a powerful shot that struck the crgossbar and was headed clear.

Quakers forced Rushall back after that, but didn’t really create any clear cut chances against a tall and well-organised defence.

Half time 0-0

Darlington manager Martin Gray made two subs at half time, bringing off Liam Hardy and Tom Portas, and replacing them with Stephen Thompson and Adam Mitchell -- and immediately Quakers raised the pace of the game.

Quakers went close on 51 minutes. Mitchell’s corner was cleared as far as Leon Scott, whose shot was deflected just wide by a defender.

They broke through on 53 minutes. A cross by Mitchell from the right went over to the far post where Brown played the ball back at full stretch for Burgess to tuck in from six yards, his eighth league goal of the season.

[caption id="attachment_19154" align="alignnone" width="300"] Gary Brown set up the winner[/caption]

Rushall missed a good chance to level on 61 minutes. Reid got to the bye line, pulled the ball back into the middle where Jake heath coming in at the far post, sidefooted just over the top.

There was a real mix up in the Rushall defence on 64 minutes when Preston collided with a defender when going for the ball which fell for Thompson, who sidefooted the ball wide.

Gaskell nearly got the second on 79 minutes. He picked the ball up on the left, neatly beat a defender, and chipped the ball just apst the far post.

Gaskell nearly scored on 83 minutes, Quakers cleverly played the ball around the box, and Mitchell set up Gaskell, and even though he had his back to goal, he tried a backheel that Preston blocked.

Final score Darlington 1 Rushall Olympic 0

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Darlington: Jameson, Hunter, Galbraith, Turnbull, Burgess, Brown, Portas (sub Mitchell45), Scott, Armstrong (sub Gaskell 75), Cartman, Hardy (sub Thompson 45).

Subs: Provett, Nowakowski,

Booking: Hunter

Rushall Olympic

Preston, Christophorou, Fox, Tolley, Townsend, Caines, Heath (sub Matinyadze 68), Taylor, McKenzie (sub Brown 60), Martin, Reid

Subs: Fitzpatrick, Walters, Wilkinson

Booking: Mckenzie

Referee: J Matthews