Darlington

Darlington boss praises referee
Darlington boss David Hodgson praised referee Grant Hegley for not sending off forward Simon Johnson in their 2-0 victory at Oxford. Johnson had already been booked when he clashed with Oxford's Andy Burgess. "He was fortunate to stay on the pitch - I don't think it was malicious, but his arm was raised and the boy has collided into it," Hodgson said. "There were a few tackles going in, but the referee dealt with most of it correctly - I have to praise him."

York swoop for midfielder Thomas
York have signed former Wales Under-21 midfielder Steve Thomas, after he impressed during a trial spell. The 26-year-old recently reached a financial statement with his previous club Darlington, for whom he had made just seven appearances this season. Thomas was born in Hartlepool but began his career with Wrexham, making 115 appearances in a seven-year spell before moving to Darlington in 2004. He won five Under-21 caps, qualifying for Wales through his father.

Darlington 1-0 Chester
Ten-man Darlington ended a five-game winless run with victory over Chester to keep their play-off hopes alive. Andy Cooke missed several chances to put the hosts ahead and Chester nearly took the lead when Ben Davies saw a thunderous drive saved by Sam Russell. The Quakers were rocked when Clark Keltie was sent off for lashing out with an elbow on Ryan Lowe. But they still managed a winner, Dutch defender Shelton Martis heading home a Neil Wainwright corner late on. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Darlington: Russell, Stockdale, Clarke, Martis, Valentine, Webster (Simon Johnson 84), Keltie, Peacock (Wainwright 59), Dickman, Cooke (Sodje 76), Jemal Johnson. Subs Not Used: Norton, Kendrick. Sent Off: Keltie (56). Booked: Valentine, Webster. Goals: Martis 75. Chester: Harrison, McNiven, Albrighton, Ellender, Hessey (El Kholti 78), Regan (Tait 70), Drummond, Curtis, Davies, Lowe, Blundell. Subs Not Used: Artell, Richardson, Stephen Vaughan. Booked: Albrighton, Curtis. Att: 3,593 Ref: C Boyeson (E Yorkshire).

Darlington v Carlisle
Darlington boss David Hodgson will be without Clark Keltie as the defender lost his appeal against a red card and is suspended for four games. Hodgson hopes to bring in a loan signing to compensate for Keltie's absence, while Matty Appleby returns. Carlisle boss Paul Simpson should boast a full-strength squad. Defender Peter Murphy is the LDV Vans Trophy finalists' only doubt with a back injury but he looks set to be passed fit.

Darlington 0-5 Carlisle
Carlisle secured a fourth straight league win in superb style to maintain their lead at the top of the table. Moments after Simon Johnson struck the Carlisle post, Kevin Gray broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time. After the break Derek Holmes pounced to add a second, while Michael Bridges made it 3-0 with a superb finish. Sam Russell then allowed Glenn Murray's shot to squirm under his body, while the Darlington goalkeeper was also caught out by Simon Grand's lob.

Barnet 1-0 Darlington
Tresor Kandol scored the only goal of the game to give relegation-threatened Barnet a boost. Kandol thought he had given his side the lead early in the match, but his header ruled out for offside. Darlington substitute Taiwo Atieno then sent a header wide, before Barnet's Dean Sinclair missed with his shot. With 10 minutes remaining Nicky Bailey's cross found the head of Kandol and the striker finished into the far corner of the Darlington goal. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Barnet: Flitney, Fuller, King (Vernazza 67), Charles, Sinclair, Clist, Hessenthaler (Warhurst 77), Yakubu, Bailey, Lee (Hatch 62), Kandol. Subs Not Used: Reed, Strevens. Booked: Lee, King, Sinclair, Yakubu, Flitney. Goals: Kandol 80. Darlington: Russell, Valentine, Appleby (Peacock 83), Clarke, Martis, Kendrick, Wainwright (Atieno 51), Dickman, Simon Johnson, Cooke (Sodje 68), Jemal Johnson. Subs Not Used: Norton, Beaumont. Booked: Jemal Johnson. Att: 2,845 Ref: R Lee (Brentwood).

Youngsters handed Quakers deals
Darlington have handed professional contracts to three youth players. Striker Richard Logan, left back Alex Janes and central midfielder Mark McLeod will all sign deals on 1 July. Darlington manager Dave Hodgson told the club's website: "We've given these three youngsters contracts and I think it's fantastic. "Right now for the first time in a long time has got at least three kids who might have the potential to become regular players at Darlington."

Dale boss rues defensive errors
Rochdale manager Steve Parkin felt the second goal in their 2-0 loss against Darlington resulted from a number of defensive mistakes. Parkin said: "We had at least three chances to deal with the ball that led to the goal and hesitated to do so. "Alan Goodall got back and tried to make a tackle. "Then Gareth Griffiths got done too easily in the box and Matt Gilks will be very disappointed when the lad shot because he should have saved it."

Torquay 1-2 Darlington
Substitute Neil Wainwright boosted Darlington's play-off hopes and left Torquay's Football League status hanging by a thread. Torquay took a deserved lead when Kevin Hill rose to head Steven Reed's cross from a rehearsed short-corner routine. But after an asthma attack forced striker Lee Thorpe out at half-time Torquay faded in he second half. Akpo Sodje volleyed Darlo level and Wainwright completed their comeback with an 89th-minute thunderbolt. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Torquay: Marriott, Andrews, Woods, Taylor, Reed, Phillips (Kuffour 73), Hollands, Garner (Sako 86), Hill, Thorpe (Robinson 45), Bedeau. Subs Not Used: Villis, Hockley. Goals: Hill 37. Darlington: Russell, Valentine, Clarke, Martis, Kendrick, Duke, Appleby (Wainwright 58), Keltie, Jemal Johnson, Cooke (Simon Johnson 78), Bates (Sodje 58). Subs Not Used: Peacock, Wright. Booked: Cooke, Jemal Johnson. Goals: Sodje 66, Wainwright 89. Att: 2,715 Ref: G Hegley (Hertfordshire).

Darlington 0-1 Northampton
Scott McGleish kept alive the Cobblers' automatic promotion hopes and dented Darlington's play-off prospects. Northampton went close when Martin Smith saw his shot from the edge of the area come back off the post, before Chris Doig headed against the crossbar. Quakers should have scored but Jonjo Dickman mis-hit his shot from six yards after being set up by Simon Johnson. McGleish won it with a simple tap-in at the far post after Darlington failed to deal with a low cross from Josh Low. Darlington: Russell, Duke, Clarke, Appleby, Valentine, Keltie (Peacock 72), Simon Johnson (Sodje 54), Dickman, Wainwright, Cooke, Jemal Johnson. Subs Not Used: Norton, Beaumont, McLeod. Booked: Cooke. Northampton: Harper, Crowe (Hunt 83), Chambers, Doig, Johnson (Westwood 67), Smith, Rowson, Hand, Low, McGleish, Jess (Kirk 67). Subs Not Used: Lee, Gilligan. Booked: Crowe. Goals: McGleish 70. Att: 5,220 Ref: M Pike (Cumbria).

Cheltenham 1-1 Darlington
Cheltenham came from a goal behind to earn a point against fellow promotion hopefuls Darlington at Whaddon Road. Neil Wainwright put the Quakers ahead after the break when he headed an Anthony Peacock cross past Shane Higgs. But the Robins drew level when Akpo Sodje hacked down John Finnigan and Grant McCann smashed the penalty home. Cheltenham's Michael Townsend and Darlo star Matthew Appleby then saw red for an off-the-ball tussle and David Bird and Finnigan hit the woodwork for Town. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cheltenham: Higgs, Gill, Duff, Townsend, Armstrong, Melligan (Bird 55), Finnigan, McCann, Wilson (Caines 80), Spencer, Odejayi. Subs Not Used: Guinan, Brown, Bell. Sent Off: Townsend (69). Booked: Duff. Goals: McCann 59 pen. Darlington: Russell, Valentine, Appleby, Clarke, Duke, Peacock (Cooke 76), Keltie, Dickman, Wainwright, Sodje, Jemal Johnson (Simon Johnson 90). Subs Not Used: Norton, McLeod, Beaumont. Sent Off: Appleby (69). Booked: Valentine, Clarke. Goals: Wainwright 50. Att: 3,851 Ref: L Probert (Gloucestershire).

Darlington v Bury
Darlington may be boosted by the return of defender Shelton Martis after he recovered well from a calf injury. He could cover for Matty Appleby, who starts a four-game ban, while striker Guy Bates could also figure after a chest infection. Bury are hopeful Lewis Gobern will be available after the on-loan Wolves winger recovered from a thigh injury. They will also have defender Paul Scott back after a two-match suspension in time to face Darlington.

Darlington 2-3 Bury
Bury earned three precious points in their fight for league survival thanks to Matthew Tipton's injury time winner. Quakers went ahead when Chris Brass put the ball into his own net while trying to clear his lines but David Flitcroft soon levelled with a fine curling shot. Akpo Sodje restored Darlington's lead on 80 minutes, heading home Shelton Martis' corner only for Brian Barry-Murphy to curl home a free-kick. Tipton stabbed home from close range at the death from a Barry-Murphy corner. Darlington: Russell, Valentine, Martis, Clarke, Duke (Simon Johnson 86), Wainwright, Dickman (Peacock 75), Keltie, Jemal Johnson, Sodje, Cooke (Bates 60). Subs Not Used: Wright, McLeod. Booked: Duke, Valentine, Martis. Goals: Brass 8 og, Sodje 80. Bury: Schmeichel, Brass, Fitzgerald, Challinor, Woodthorpe, Gobern, Flitcroft, Mattis (Kennedy 75), Barry-Murphy, Daly (Tipton 72), Pugh (Youngs 86). Subs Not Used: Scott, Ross. Booked: Schmeichel, Gobern, Tipton. Goals: Flitcroft 22, Barry-Murphy 85, Tipton 90. Att: 3,739 Ref: K Hill (Hertfordshire).

Atieno and Beaumont leave Quakers
Darlington have allowed on-loan pair Taiwo Atieno and James Beaumont to return to their parent clubs. The pair both joined the Quakers on a month's loan on 23 March, which was the Football League deadline for loans. Walsall striker Atieno, 20, made three substitute appearances for David Hodgson's side, but failed to score. However, 21-year-old Nottingham Forest midfielder Beaumont had an even briefer Darlington career - one appearance as a 90th-minute substitute at Rochdale.

Wycombe v Darlington
Striker Charlie Griffin could earn a recall to the Wycombe line-up after recovering from head pains following the 3-0 defeat to Lincoln. But temporary boss Steve Brown has no new injury or suspension worries as Wanderers keep bid to keep up the pressure for a play-off spot. Darlo could hand winger Carlos Logan a surprise start following his double hernia operation last month. Goalkeeper Sam Russell and defender Shelton Martis retain their places.

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