Darlington back in action with a win at Ossett

Darlington picked up three points in their first game for three weeks, enjoying a comfortable 2-0 win at Ossett Albion.

A goal in each half, scored by Graeme Armstrong and Stephen Thompson, gave Darlington a deserved victory on a day when Nathan Cartman made his much-anticipated debut having joined in a transfer from Harrogate RA ten days ago.

He has had to wait for his first opportunity to impress in a Quakers shirt as last week’s match was postponed, but he must also wait for his first goal for the club.

He did find the net today on 20 minutes, tucking the ball home after his first attempt had rebounded off the post, but the debutant striker’s celebrations were cut short due to a linesman’s flag for offside.

By then he’d also seen Ossett left-back Ross Hardaker make a block when Cartman had his first shot at goal in a Darlington shirt.

Darlington started positively and not only was Cartman a threat, Armstrong also came close to goal.

He lobbed the onrushing goalkeeper after latching onto Gary Brown’s punt forward down the right, but Albion’s chairman-defender Dominic Riordan was on hand to clear.

Riordan, aged 27-years-old, doubles up as Ossett’s chairman as well as a centre-back.

In recording their 13th clean sheet of the season, Darlington’s sturdy defence was again solid, ensuring goalkeeper Peter Jameson saw little of the action for the bulk of the first half.

He had hardly been involved when Armstrong put Quakers ahead on 27 minutes.

It was not an easy finish to execute, taking the ball down on his chest and shooting into the corner from 20 yards to take his tally in all competitions to 17.

There then followed a couple of half-chances for Adam Mitchell. He pounced on a misunderstanding between an Ossett defender and their keeper and hit a first-time from the corner of the penalty area, but the ambitious effort sailed wide.

The right-winger was then close to goal of the season with a volley after a left-wing cross that the keeper clawed away two-handed. Brown got hold of the loose ball, but put his effort over the bar.

Darlington’s defensive might was epitomised when Alan White and Chris Hunter combined to muscle Connor Bower off the ball as he attempted to break into the penalty area.

However, the pair soon collided accidentally, requiring Hunter to briefly leave the field with a bloodied nose.

In the final stages of the half, with Hunter off the field, Ossett enjoyed their first bright spell of attacking leading to Jameson having his first involvement of the game.

Adam Muller got beyond the visitors’ defence after Wes Miles had headed clear on halfway, but the goalkeeper did well to come off his line and tip Muller’s shot away for a corner.

Quakers had strong penalty appeals at the end of the half when Armstrong was held, while Cartman looked likely to score when he used his pace to race from halfway with the ball at his feet, but he tried to find a team-mate and Ossett had got back in numbers to defuse the situation.

Just as the first half ended with Jameson making a good reflex save, the second period began in the same fashion, this time pushing away Connor Bower’s rising drive for a corner.

It was a brief moment of alarm for Darlington as the hosts made a go of it. Darlington stood firm, however, and they were soon back into their stride.

Riordan cleared a Cartman shot off the goaline. Perhaps he should’ve passed to the centrally-positioned Thompson, but Cartman went for goal and beat the keeper, but the chairman cleared.

Quakers fans among the 519 crowd pleaded for a penalty, but it was a fine tackle by Patrick Lindley which dispossessed a goal-bound Cartman, who was often on the ball in an encouraging debut.

Thompson nearly breaks the keeper Neil Bennett’s wrists with a thunderous volley after Armstrong knocked the ball down. It would not have counted as the referee believed Armstrong had committed a foul, but Quakers’ forward would not be denied.

Thompson made the points safe midway through the second half when he blasted home from 12 yards. His volley on 64 minutes, after Brown’s right-wing cross had fallen to him, was his fifth goal of the campaign.

From thereon in Quakers were comfortable, easing to sixth successive league away win.

Albion attempted to press late on and Jameson was required to make a third smart save of the day with three minutes to go, this time denying Riordan.

The centre-back’s looping header seemed destined for the back of the net, but James managed to back-peddle and tip over to keep yet another clean sheet, while Darlington are now unbeaten in 16 league fixtures.

The run stretches back to when they played Salford City in September at Heritage Park and today’s win, having endured an enforced winter break, puts a smile on Quakers’ faces before travelling to Salford next Saturday.

A large contingent of supporters will be making the trip from the North-East for a fixture which could prove pivotal in the title race, Salford now second but only three points ahead of Darlington, who have five fixtures in hand.

Northwich are top on goal difference, also three points ahead of Darlington, having taken the points 3-2 at Prescot Cables thanks to an injury-time winner.

Goals: Armstrong (27, 0-1), Thompson (64, 0-2)

Bookings: Sharry (56, foul); Dowson (74, time wasting); Milnes (83, foul)

Referee: Brian McGill

Attendance: 519

Ossett Albion (4-4-2): Bennett; Nicholson, Milnes, Riordan, Hardaker; Taylor (Reece 63), Sharry, Matthews, Lindley (Jones 61); Muller, Bower. Subs (not used): Jones, Walker, Grech-Brooksbank, Souter

Darlington (4-4-2): Jameson; Brown, White, Hunter, Watson; A Mitchell (Scott 74), Portas, Galbraith, Thompson (Mota 67); Armstrong (Dowson 63), Cartman. Subs (not used): Bell (gk), Hatch