Darlington 3 Ilkeston 1

Darlington comfortably beat Ilkeston in a one-sided game to go third in the EvoStik Premier Division.

Quakers nearly took the lead after 4 minutes, when Stephen Thompson won possession on the right, made good ground and crossed low into the middle where Lee Gaskell went full length to force the ball towards goal from a few yards, but somehow keeper Jamie Hannis kept the ball out.

Quakers took the lead after 10 minutes. Thompson curled a corner over from the Darlington left all the way over to the far post for Nathan Cartman to turn home his 12^th league goal of the season.

It was nearly 2-0 on 14 minutes when Cartman nodded the ball down for Thompson to drive just wide, and he got another shooting chance on 16 minutes but Hannis saved.

Another chance came along on 17 minutes when Chris Hunter’s free kick fell for Gary Brown, who volleyed just wide, and two minutes later Thompson sent Cartman through, and from about 30 yards Cartman lobbed Hannis, but a defender got back and cleared.

The second goal inevitably arrived on 22 minutes. Gary Brown’s long throw was helped on at the near post, and Gaskell headed in from a few yards, his 14^th league goal of the season.

Quakers went 3-0 up on 33 minutes. Galbraith’s corner to the far post was headed back by Burgess for Brown to head in from point blank range.

Gaskell went for the fourth when he picked up the ball in the inside left position, made good ground, but fired wide from the edge of the box.

At the start of the second half, a concerted spell of pressure ended with Phil Turnbull firing just wide from 30 yards.

But the midfielder went even closer on 54 minutes, when Scott played the ball back perfectly for him to hit low and hard, and the ball missed the target by a whisker.

Quakers suddenly moved up a gear and almost scored a fourth when Hardy picked up a crossfield pass, sidestepped a defender and hit a right foot shot that Hannis just managed to tip over the bar.

Danny Udoh pulled a goal back for Ilkeston in the last minute.

Darlington

Jameson, Hunter, Burgess, Brown, Galbraith, Portas, Scott, Turnbull, Thompson (sub Armstrong 50 mins), Gaskell (sub Nowakowski 67), Cartman (sub Hardy 50 mins)

Subs not used: Provett, Mitchell

Ilkeston

Hannis, Shaw, Print, Head, Baker, Goddard, Atkinson, Gordon, Udoh, Burrows, Rose

Subs not used: Meakin, Morris, Walters