Salford 3 Darlington 4

Darlington produced a magnificent fightback from 3-1 down with 21 minutes left, to win 4-3 at Moor Lane.

The fightback was inspired by Lee Gaskell, who scored twice as Quakers showed their tremendous fighting spirit and will to win, and prompted fans to wonder when the last time was that Quakers were two goals down twice in a game and still won. Gaskell actually dislocated his shoulder after 3 minutes, put the joint back into place himself, then scored twice in the last 21 minutes.

Quakers had the first chance, when Lee Gaskell laid off Stephen Thompson’s cross for Tom Portas to strike a right foot shot from the edge of the area that went a few yards wide of the right hand post.

Salford went close on 10 minutes with an inswinging corner from the left by Danny Webber that curled just past the far post.

Quakers replied with a corner of their own on 11 minutes that was whipped in by Thompson and fisted away on the line by keeper Jay Lynch.

Salford forced another corner when John Johnston cut in from the left, and his shot was deflected over by Hunter.

.Peter Jameson was called into action in the 21^st minute when Danny Webber dribbled past two defenders to give himself an opening, which he fired straight at the keeper.

But Salford took the lead on 22 minutes, when a free kick from deep on the left went to the far post, where Josh Hine beat Jameson with a looping header.

It was 2-0 on 24 minutes from another setpiece, a deep free kick to the far post inside the Salford half was nodded down by Steve Howson for Chris Lynch to sidefoot home.

Quakers nearly pulled a goal back on the half hour. New signing Liam Hardy was fouled outside the area, and Thompson curled the free kick just past the left hand post, with the keeper stranded.

It was nearly 3-0 when Hine got through one-on-one, and Jameson saved well low down to his left at the foot of his post.

Salford full back Evans Gumbs then had two opportunities. The first when he fired left footed just over from 30 yards, and the second straight at Jameson.

Quakers were denied a goal by the post on 40 minutes. Gaskell found Thompson on the edge of the area, and Thompson hit a right foot shot that struck the right hand post, and Hardy’s follow up was blocked.

Quakers had a very loud penalty shout turned away when Thompson was flattened by a challenge inside the box, but the referee waved Quakers’ strong appeals away.

Half time Salford 2 Darlington 0

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Quakers nearly pulled one back straight after the resumption when Hardy turned inside the Salford box, and his left foot shot took a deflection and looped just wide of the left hand post.

Thompson also went close with a dipping free kick that Jay Lynch just managed to push around the post.

Their efforts were rewarded when Quakers pulled a goal back on 59 minutes. Gaskell cut in from the left, tried to square the ball for Thompson, but the ball nicely bounced off a defender for Tom Portas in space, and he kept his cool and slotted the ball past Lynch.

.However, Quakers slipped again at the back two minutes later. Johnston put a low cross from the right into the middle, Jameson hesitated, and that allowed Webber to nip in front of him and bundle the ball home to make it 3-1..

Quakers had a let off when Hine sprinted away from Brown, but lobbed the ball straight into Jameson’s hands.

Then, one of Quakers' best recent fightbacks started, and the game turned on its head as they took control.

Quakers made it 3-2 on 69 minutes, when Thompson cleverly sent Gaskell running through, and he coolly chipped the advancing keeper for his 12^th goal of the season.

Quakers were really on top now, and they levelled on 78 minutes, when sub Graeme Armstrong fired the ball across the face of goal for Gaskell to turn in at the far post!

And to cap a fantastic fightback, Quakers went 4-3 up on 85 minutes, Galbraith flicked on Turnbull's free kick for Cartman to guide the ball home!!!

In six tense minutes of stoppage time, Salford keeper Lynch was sent off for pushing Armstrong in the face, but with Quakers defending well and Adam Nowakowski on as sub for his height, then they held on for a magnificent win to put them third in the table.

What a turnaround!

Darlington

Jameson, Hunter, Brown, Burgess, Galbraith, Mitchell, Scott, Turnbull, Thompson (sub Cartman 69), Gaskell (sub Nowakowski 90+1), Hardy (sub Armstrong 65).

Subs: Mitchell, Provett

Booking: Armstrong

Salford City

Lynch, Gumbs (Sub Dawson 90) , O'Halloran, Moses, Howson, C Lynch, Johnston, Burton (sub Mwaslie 85), Hine, Webber (sub Seddon 80), Allen

Dootson, Clark