Morecambe 2 Darlington 0

JUST when it appears Darlington are beginning to turn the corner, suddenly they are stopped in their tracks.

Playing away to mid-table Morecambe, who had won only one of their previous seven games, suggested that rejuvenated Quakers could continue their mini-revival.

Last week’s four-point haul had lifted spirits among supporters who travelled to Christie Park hopeful that maybe, just maybe, their side could be about to embark on a great escape.

Saturday’s result and performance, however, acted as a sobering reminder that Darlington remain a work in progress.

They left Lancashire with a sense of being almost back to square one after the Shrimps earned victory with a goal in each half, leaving Quakers 12 points adrift of safety.

Darlington were too easily carved open at the back by a mediocre Morecambe. Both goals could have been better defended, yet Steve Staunton’s side created plenty of chances, with enthusiastic striker Tadhg Purcell again to the fore.

In the short time he has been with the club the Irishman has gained a reputation for his willingness to shoot and being a menace to defences.

He reverted to playing up front as Staunton, who rested Mor Diop, explained he wanted the physical Purcell to play a more central role.

Inside the first ten minutes he had a low shot from 20 yards saved by Barry Roche, then teed up recalled winger Nathan Mulligan for a powerful effort from inside the penalty area that the keeper also stopped.

But on nine minutes came a goal on the counter attack that could have been prevented.

After former Darlington winger Neil Wainwright dragged a defender out of position by making an overlapping run, unmarked striker Phil Jevons latched on to Laurence Wilson’s pass before calmly executing a shot past Shane Redmond.

Gary Dempsey had failed to track Jevons into Quakers’ penalty area, leaving Staunton to reflect: “We didn’t get started for the first 15 minutes or so and their first goal should have been avoided.

“They broke well on the counter-attack and we didn’t match their runs.”

A similar scenario soon afterwards saw Morecambe midfielder Stewart Drummond allowed a free header at goal, after meeting a Wainwright cross, but Redmond displayed quick reactions to save.

A goal then really would have angered Staunton, whose displays of emotion on the sidelines suggest he is not one to cross, as striker Curtis Main discovered in the 29th minute.

The 17-year-old made little impact and looked stunned when substituted for what Staunton described as a “harsh lesson”.

However, replacement Patrick Deane did little to impress.

Thirteen minutes into the second half came the gameclinching second goal and again Darlington’s defending was called into question.

After a corner was only half-cleared, Paul Mullin escaped Alan White’s attention and the Morecambe striker blasted past Redmond from 12 yards.

“At the start of the second half we conceded a sloppy second goal. It was a good goal from Morecambe’s point of view but a poor one for us to concede,” said Staunton.

“It was a sickener, a killer goal and it was down to poor defending. If we’re going to stand a chance of staying in this league then we’ve got to defend better.”

Almost immediately Staunton replaced White, later explaining that playing three games inside eight days was placing a big demand on the 33-year-old.

On came defender Richie Byrne who became the 49th different player used by Darlington this season, a statistic that sums up Quakers’ campaign.

White had gone close to scoring before the break, denied an equaliser only by a tremendous flying save by Roche after the defender had powerfully met a Jeff Smith cross.

At 2-0 Darlington continued to create openings, with Purcell spurning two of the best.

He failed to pass to the unmarked Deane and he also allowed Roche to save when presented with a one-on-one.

Disappointed with the defending, Staunton was also left frustrated with the finishing, and said: “It was a great save in the first half from Alan White, a fabulous save.

Then Tadhg was through against the keeper but it was another great save, and then Nathan hit the rebound straight at the keeper.

“It was unfortunate but we need to take these chances if we’re to have any chance at all of staying up. But at least we’re creating these chances now and making the keeper work because earlier in the season we weren’t even having shots, never mind hitting the target.”

Match facts

Goals:

1-0: Jevons (9, low strike after collecting pass from the left)

2-0: Mullin (58, evaded White to stab home following a corner)

Bookings: Miller (20, foul); Wainwright (30, persistent infringements); Byrne (70, foul), Mulligan (77, foul); Wilson (90, dissent)

Referee: Geoff Eltringham (Sunderland) – Handed out five yellow cards but avoided any controversy 7

Attendance: 1,741

Entertainment: ✰✰

MORECAMBE (4-4-2): Roche 7; Parrish 6, Haining 7, Artell 6, Wilson 6; Duffy 5, Stanley 7, Drummond 6, Wainwright 7 (Adams 85); Mullin 7, Jevons 7. Subs (not used): Davies (gk), Moss, Bentley, Twiss, Hunter, Panther

DARLINGTON (4-4-2):

7 Redmond: Made two impressive saves before the break and could not be faulted for the goals;

5 Madden: Super block in the opening minutes prevented a certain goal

7 Miller: Won plenty of the high balls though harshly booked before the break

5 White: Subbed after the second goal which saw Mullin hold off the defender

6 Giddings: Kept Shrimps winger Duffy quiet for most of the game;

6 Mulligan: Toiled in both wide positions and in central midfield during a surprise recall

5 Waite: Stanley and Drummond had too much class for the former Spenymoor man

5 Dempsey: Failure to track Jevons into the penalty area led to the first goal

7 J SMITH: Showed a desire to get on the ball and create something;

5 Purcell: Plenty of commitment but not clinical enough in front of goal

4 Main: Hauled off by a deeply disappointed Staunton following an ineffective 30 minutes.

Subs:

Deane (for Main 29): Difficult to see what Staunton sees in the Scottish striker whose impact was minimal 4

Byrne (for White 59): Slotted in well alongside Miller 6

Gray (for Dempsey 67): Made little impact on the left wing 5

(not used): Liversedge (gk), G Smith, Groves, Diop

MAN OF THE MATCH

CRAIG Stanley – a cool head on the ball in central midfield.