Rushall Olympic 3 Darlington 2

Scorers: Main ( 12 mins, 0-1), Maher (28 mins, 1-1, 39 mins, 2-1,) Main (45 mins, 2-2), Owen (45+2 3-2)

Quakers are back in danger above the relegation zone after they were beaten at Rushall.

Quakers were way below their best, and made too many mistakes throughout the game, and 

They are now two points above Rushall, who have a game in hand. However, Quakers are level with Farsley, who were beaten 4-0 at Hereford.

Here are Steve's views on the game

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY8bGEFXkZ4

After Rushall put a couple of crosses without danger into the Darlington box, Cameron Salkeld broke down the right, but he couldn’t find Matty Cornish inside him.

Rushall attacked down their right through Owen Farmer , but Scott Barrow cleared well at the near post, then Toby Lees blocked an effort by Owen Oseni from a left wing cross by Maher.

Quakers took the lead after 12 minutes with their first real attack. Toby Lees found Jarrett Rivers with a good ball forward, and in turn he played it on for Cedric Main to control, run into the area, and slot past the advancing keeper, his third goal for the club.

Rushall nearly levelled when the dangerous-looking Owen Maher found space and fired a left foot shot across goal and past the right hand post.

But Quakers went down the other end and Salkeld played a 1-2 to get into the box, but his shot was blocked.

And then Hatfield and Rivers both had efforts blocked inside the penalty area.

Rushall had a half chance on 25 minutes when a left wing corner was headed back at the far post for Oseni to head tamely into Tommy Taylor’s hands.

They had their best chance yet on 28 minutes when Oseni held the ball up well in the box and set up Sam Mclintock, whose right shot was pushed over the bar by Taylor.

But the Pics levelled on 29 minutes when Maher found himself in space on the left, and beat Taylor with a low left foot shot across him into the bottom right hand corner.

Rushall kept going, and nearly got a second with a glancing header by Roberts off a corner that went wide.

But Rushall took the lead on 38 minutes when Maher found loads of space on the left to cut into the area, step inside a defender and curl the ball right footed around Taylor into the net.

It was nearly 3-1 when Oseni burst away, rounded Taylor, but put the chance into the side netting when he should have pulled the ball back.

Quakers recovered and were level just on half time. Matty Cornish played a corner into the near post for Tom Platt to have his low shot blocked by keeper Weaver, but the ball went up into the air for Main to head home.

However, Quakers found thesmselves behind again because they conceded straight away, when a free kick from the right wasn’t cleared properly, and the ball came out to Farmer who beat Taylor with a low shot.

Half time: Rushall 3 Darlington 2

Straight from the restart, Quakers nearly scored, with Platt hitting a 60 yarder straight from Rivers’ kick off that went just wide.

But Rushall replied with a low shot by Farmer from the edge of the area  that Taylor pushed around the right hand post.

Quakers made two subs on 57 minutes, Jake Lawlor and Aidan Rutledge coming on for Matty Cornish and Ben Hedley.

Quakers had a half chance when Scott Barrow crossed to the far post where Salkeld couldn’t turn it back for Rutledge.

But Rushall again looked dangerous from a setpiece on the hour, and Farmer and Maher both had shots saved by Taylor.

Rushall made a sub on 72 minutes, Edge coming on for Farmer.

Maher showed some great skill on the left on 74 minutes to get around the Darlington defence, and fired across the face of goal with a team mate just failing to get a touch.

Quakers looked dangerous in the closing stages. They won a corner on 80 minutes which Barrow put into the middle and Rutledge’s header was deflected wide by the keeper, although the referee gave a goal kick..

Mitch Curry came on for Salkeld on 82 minutes. Rutledge then appeared to be elbowed in the face as he tried to get into the box, but the referee waved play on.

Patient play by Quakers saw Rivers cross to the far post, but Griffiths pull back was intercepted.

Then Curry put a cross/cum shot over the area and Griffiths came in and headed at the keeper.

Curry found space in the area, and his right foot shot was well saved by Weaver.

After strong pressure from Quakers, Rushall broke away in stoppage time and Oseni’s shot was pushed against the bar by Taylor.

Final score Rushall 3 Darlington 2

Team: Taylor, Griffiths, Lees, Barrow, Hedley (sub Lawlor 57), Platt, Hatfield, Rivers, Salkeld (sub Curry 82), Cornish (sub Rutledge 57), Main

Subs: Gibson, Liddle,

Bookings: Hedley, Griffiths, Barrow, Main, Platt

Rushall:

Weaver, Roberts, Fletcher, Brown, Browne, McLintock, Moore, Oseni, Farmer, Maher, Maye

Subs: Charles, Tee, Hall, Edge, Patterson