Darlington 3 Mossley 2

A late Nathan Cartman penalty saw Darlington overcome Mossley in the first qualifying round of this year’s FA Trophy.

After the visitors took the lead in the 21^st minute goals from Adam Nowakowski and youngster Lewis Walton turned the game around.

Mossley levelled inside the final quarter of an hour, but Cartman won and then converted a penalty to win the game with ten minutes to go.

Martin Gray was without a host of players through injury and suspension, but was able to hand Nowakowski his first start since he was injured at Buxton on the opening day of the season. New signing Jakub Hymr started, as Cartman and Lee Gaskell both were on the bench.

Evo-Stik First Division North side Mossley started the better of the two sides and hit the crossbar with a header by Michael Brown inside the opening ten minutes. They took the lead when Tom Pratt pulled the ball down on the edge of the box and fired into the roof of the net.

The goal sparked Darlington into life and Rob Youhill looked dangerous throughout on the right wing.

It was a long throw that got the Quakers level with Graeme Armstrong flicking the ball on and Nowakowski being first to the loose ball to volley home with his left foot.

[caption id="attachment_14373" align="alignnone" width="227"] Adam Nowakowski celebrates after scoring the equaliser[/caption]

Armstrong then twice went close with headers, but on both occasions he was denied by Liam Flynn in the Mossley goal.

The second half saw Cartman and Gaskell introduced, but it was Walton who gave the Quakers the lead. After Gaskell’s shot was blocked Walton smashed the ball high into the net from a tight angle.

Pete Jameson then made a good save, as Mossley got back into the game. Their pressure paid off when Sam Robinson was allowed to cut inside on to his right foot and fire past Jameson at his near post.

However, just three minutes later top scorer Cartman was taken out by goalkeeper Flynn and a penalty awarded. He stepped up and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to put Darlington 3-2 up.

[caption id="attachment_14374" align="alignnone" width="300"] Nathan Cartman scores the winner for Quakers[/caption]

Mossley should have sent the game to a replay with almost the final attack of the game, but a free header at the far post was directed straight at Jameson.

Darlington return to league action next Saturday when they host Buxton.

Darlington team: Jameson, Gibbons, Callaghan, Nowakowski, Hunter, Galbraith, Youhill, Scott, Armstrong(Gaskell), Hymr(Cartman), Walton(Hume)

[caption id="attachment_14375" align="alignnone" width="300"] Jakub Hymr in action[/caption]