Radcliffe 0 Darlington 1

Beck 42 mins, 0-1

Attendance 1087

** First clean sheet of the season

** Becky's first goal of the season

** Game of two penalties

** Fourth skipper of the season

Darlington won their second away game of the season thanks to a first half penalty by Mark Beck.

But there was plenty of drama in the game, as Quakers lost Paddy McLaughlin and Ellis Stanton to injury -- they now have four centre midfielders injured -- had Tom Bryant red carded, and Bobby Jones saved a penalty.

It was an edge of the seats finish to the game, as Quakers defended gallantly with ten men for the last twenty minutes.

Radcliffe won a free kick on the right just outside the area for a foul in the second minute, but the ball was overhit and ended up in Bobby Jones’ hands.

Then Logan Pye got in a tackle on Michael Afuye at the expense of a corner which Mark Beck got away.

The home side won another corner on 6 minutes , and this time Charlie Raglan glanced his header a few yards wide.

Radcliffe went close on 14 minutes when Joe Pritchard crossed from the left for Jordan Hulme to just fail to make contact a few yards out.

But Quakers caused a problem when Dylan Stephenson found space to hit a low right foot shot that Tom Donaghy just managed to push away.

Quakers nearly scored from a corner on 18 minutes. Ellis Stanton curled the ball in from the left, and a couple of Darlington players got a touch before the ball was cleared off the line.

Quakers were forced in to a substitution on 19 minutes when Paddy McLaughlin went off – he’d gone down with a knock a few minutes before – and was replaced by Sam Hetherington, with Toby Lees taking on the captain’s armband, the fourth captain of the season.

Jones was alert to save a Hulme flick from a right wing corner at his near post on 24 minutes, but Quakers were denied on 27 minutes when Bryant made a good run down the left and squared the ball inside for Stanton, who in turn played the ball on for Stephenson, whose effort was well blocked by the keeper.

Radcliffe had an opening on 35 minutes when Rio Clegg burst away, but with Toby Lees putting him under pressure, he fired over the top.

But at the other end, some more good play found Stephenson, whose right foot shot was fisted away by the keeper.

Quakers opened the scoring on 42 minutes. They won a penalty when Stephenson burst into the area and was tripped by the outstretched hand of a defender who had gone to ground and Mark Beck sent the keeper the wrong way from the spot for his first goal of the season.

They kept the pressure going, and Stanton had a right foot shot charged down.

Half time 0-1

Quakers nearly got a second straight after half time. Sam Hetherington ran 30 yards with the ball and laid it off for Bryant, who forced a full length save out of Donaghy.

Minutes later though, Quakers had to make another sub when Stanton limped off, and was replaced by Ciaran Thompson.

Jones fisted two corners in succession away, then Tom Davies blazed over from a good position. The keeper then had to receive treatment after diving bravely at the feet of Hulme.

Quakers made their third sub on 67 minutes, when Pye went off and was replaced by Tom Henson.

Quakers were reduced to ten men on 69 minutes when Bryant was shown his second yellow for a foul in the area on Afuye.

But Jones guessed the correct way for the penalty by going down to his right and saved from Clegg!

Raglan headed over from a corner as Radcliffe cranked up the pressure , and then he headed wide from a right wing cross as Quakers battled away.

Walker then made a good interception at the expense of a corner as Radcliffe countered, then Jude Oyibo curled a good chance over the top

Aidan Rutledge came on for Mark Beck with seven minutes remaining,

Walker cleared off the line after Hulme wriggled through, but Hetherington missed a great chance for a second after sub Rutledge set him up following a great run.

With a minute left, Radcliffe got a free kick 30 yards out, but Pritchard fired wide of the left hand post

Quakers countered, and Rutledge teed up Hetherington, whose left foot shot was deflected just wide.

Quakers threw themselves in the way of the ball on several occasions as they were pushed back, and they deservedly held on until the final whistle.

Final score: Radcliffe 0 Darlington 1

Team: Jones, Hedley, Lees, Walker, Pye (sub Henson 67); Stanton (sub Thompson 51), McLaughlin (sub Hetherington 19), Fitzhugh (sub Wilkinson 74), Stephenson, Bryant, Beck (sub Rutledge 83)

Subs: Mason, Smith,

Booking: Bryant 45 mins, Lees 63 mins, Thompson 74 mins, Wilkinson 90+5

Second yellow: Bryant 69 mins