Darlington 0 Brackley 2

Smith (own goal, 0-1, 44 mins), Nti (0-2, 78 mins)

Quakers were beaten by a goal in each half against Brackley at Blackwell Meadows, both of them from setpieces.

The first resulted in an unfortunate own goal by Will Smith, who was facing his own goal under pressure, and the second was twelve minutes from the end which just about finished the game off.

Brackley had more of the possession early on, but Quakers had the first real opening on 8 minutes when a right wing corner was cleared as far as Alex Henshall, whose left foot shot was blocked by a defender on the six yard line.

Quakers had a penalty shout when Thompson crossed from the right into the middle, and full back Myles appeared to handle the ball back to his keeper, but the referee wasn’t interested.

Then Trotman got into the box on the right hand side, and his low cross-cum-shot was cleared off the line.

But Brackley replied with a header by Baker that went just wide of the post.

However, Brackley almost took the lead on 35 minutes from a left wing corner that was headed back from the far post for Gareth Dean to head against the crossbar, and in the scramble that followed on the line, keeper Jonny Maddison just managed to drop on the ball.

But Quakers fell behind just on half time when a free kick was whipped in from the Brackley left and Darlington defender Will Smith, under pressure facing his own goal, glanced the ball into his own net as he tried to get the ball away.

Half time:

Darlington 0 Brackley 1

Quakers nearly equalised right at the start of the second half, when skipper Stephen Thompson picked the ball up 25 yards out and hit a left foot shot that flew just wide of the right hand post.

Jordan Nicholson had a shot charged down in Quakers’ next attack, and at the other end Walker fired wide from a right wing cross.

Quakers nearly levelled on 59 minutes when Nicholson made a good run in the inside left channel and struck a left foot shot that Brackley keeper Danny Lewis deflected against the bar for a corner.

Wilson Kneeshaw, who came on for Alex Henshall, threaded a ball through the middle for fellow sub Harvey Saunders, who was just crowded out in the penalty area.

But Brackley nearly made it 2-0 at the other end , with a chip by Shaun Jeffers that went over Maddison and came back off the bar.

Quakers won a corner on 69 minutes that Joe Wheatley swung over, and Smith headed over the bar.

However, they went 2-0 down on 78 minutes when a free kick from the left was nodded down for sub Daniel Nti to flick home from a few yards.

Final score: Darlington 0 Brackley 2

Darlington:  Maddison, Trotman, O’Hanlon, Wheatley (sub Palmer 86), Hughes, Smith, Henshall (sub Kneeshaw 62), Elliott, Ainge (sub Saunders 62), Thompson, Nicholson

Subs: Glover, Kokolo

Booking: O’Hanlon

Brackley: Lewis, Myles, G Walker, Byrne, Hall, Dean, Lowe (sub Sterling-James 89) , Fairlamb, Jeffers (sub Nti 70 mins), Baker, A Walker

Subs: Armson, Murombedizi, Jackson

Booking: Lowe