Darlington 2  FC United of Manchester 0

Holness 43 mins, 1-0, Thompson 59 mins, 2-0

Attendance 1407

Quakers scored a goal in each half to beat FC United and virtually guarantee safety with four games remaining.

Omar Holness headed them into the lead just before half time, and after the break Stephen Thompson scored the 93rd goal of his Darlington career. There were plenty of plusses in the Darlington performance, none more so than the impressive Ben Jackson, who made an impressive debut at left back.

FC United now cannot catch Quakers, but Ashton United, who beat Spennymoor, still can. However, they would have to wait to win all their four games and Quakers to lose all four of theirs in order to overtake them.

Quakers, with Tom Elliott playing at right back, nearly scored on 3 minutes. Jordan Nicholson was fouled out on the left, Romal Palmer whipped in the free kick that was hacked away by a defender on the six yard line, and Nicholson, following up, fired the rebound over the bar,

Quakers had a chance on 12 minutes when Wilson Kneeshaw found Nicholson on the left, and he crossed  to the far post where Thompson mishit a right footed volley back across goal.

But United nearly scored on 18 minutes when Willoughby broke down the right and pulled the ball back across the face of goal where Ozono seemed set to tap in before Elliott just managed to take the ball off his toes.

Play was fairly even after that until Quakers had a half chance on 29 minutes when Terry Galbraith’s inswinging corner was half cleared to the edge of the box where Holness, running in, headed wide.

FC replied when Grimshaw picked up the ball up in midfield, ran forward, and struck a low 30 yarder that Turner saved low down to his right.
Ben Jackson then set up Palmer, who forced a diving save out of Fisher at the other end.
Quakers then had a good spell of possession, which ended with Nicholson setting up Thompson, who fired across the face of goal, and just missed the far post.
Quakers had a let off just on half time when Ozono put Peers through, the advancing Turner got his hand to the ball, and Galbraith just managed to clear.

Quakers had a let off on 41 minutes when Ozono put Peers through, the advancing Turner got his hand to the ball, and Galbraith just managed to clear.
Quakers took the lead on 43 minutes. Nicholson had time and space on the left hand side to put in a measured cross for Holness to charge in and head into the bottom corner.

Half time:

Darlington 1 FC United of Manchester 0

Quakers had more pressure at the start of the second half, which ended with Thompson having a right foot shot from the edge of the box saved by Fisher.

Nicholson had a penalty shout turned down when he claimed he was tripped as he stepped inside a defender, and the ball eventually ran for Thompson who fired over.

United broke away and nearly scored on 58 minutes when Peers managed to get a toe on the end of a through ball, and the ball went just wide of the left hand post.

Quakers went 2-0 up on 59 minutes. They won a corner on the right that was floated in to the box by Galbraith, and the ball dropped for Thompson to beat Fisher with a right foot shot on the turn for his 9^th of the season, and 93^rd in total.

It was nearly 3-0 on 72 minutes when Palmer was fouled 20 yards out, and Nicholson drove the ball through the wall, for Fisher to save low down.

United nearly got one back when Willoughby received the ball in the box, turned quickly and hit a left foot shot that hit the inside of the post.
Then Mohammed rose high for a left wing corner, but Turner pulled off a good save from his header.

However, Thompson nearly got the third at the other end when he cut in from the right past two defenders, and struck a low shot that Fisher saved at the foot of his post.
Sub Alex Henshall’s first action saw him run up the left and put in a shot that Fisher touched over the bar.

Henshall had another chance on 85 minutes, this time on his right foot, that took a deflection and went just past the post.
And in the last minute, Kit Elliott set up Palmer, who fired over with the goal at his mercy.

Turner, Jackson, Galbraith, T Elliott, Ainge, Holness, Nicholson (sub Wheatley 80), Palmer, Saunders (sub K Elliott 87), Kneeshaw (sub Henshall 80), Thompson

Subs: Maddison,  Bascome

Booking: Holness

FC United:

Fisher, Lynch, O’Halloran, Mohammed, Palinkas, Potts (sub Myers 67), Ozono (Banister 58), Grimshaw, Willoughby, West (sub Donohue 53), Peers

Subs: Wallen,  Sharp

Booking: Grimshaw