Darlington fans were invited to bring their own drums to the Williamson Motors Stadium last night, but it was the players who made their own music.

Quakers' home has had more spare seats than a One True Voice concert since it opened 16 months ago, but the WMS felt more like the Maracana last night as a carnival crowd watched David Hodgson's men move up to seventh in League Two with a 2-1 win over Mansfield Town.

But it was far from plain sailing, and up until the 63rd minute Quakers appeared to be heading for their seventh defeat of the season following Richie Barker's first half strike. However, goals from Clyde Wijnhard and Craig Hignett capped a superb second half comeback.

Hodgson will reserve judgement on Quakers' end-of-season prospects until January, when he admits he will be in a better position to make a realistic assessment.

Indeed, much will depend on which Quakers side decide to turn up in December. Will it be the one humiliated by Lincoln 18 days ago or the one, which won so convincingly at Cheltenham almost a fortnight ago?

On last night's evidence, and bolstered by the return of former Middlesbrough duo Hignett and Curtis Fleming from injury, Quakers certainly appear to have the character to hold their own in the upper echelons of League Two

"There was a bit of a fear factor coming back here and playing in front of our own fans," said Hodgson. "The Lincoln game was a fiasco and we had to remind ourselves of that.

"Mansfield got a goal in the first half and our public got a little bit disheartened with one or two boos.

"But when we have players like Craig Hignett in the side, we know there's always a chance of getting back into it. At half-time I told the lads to go out and enjoy their football, like they did at Yeovil and at Cheltenham.

"Most of all we had to be positive and I thought we were. When we scored I couldn't see them coming back into it."

The visitors started brightly and Derek Asamoah forced a corner with just a minute played, but from the resulting set-piece Adam Murray shot tamely wide.

Quakers hit back and Clyde Wijnhard was allowed time and space on the edge of the Mansfield area to play in Adrian Webster who fired straight at Stags keeper Kevin Pilkington.

With Hignett and Webster outstanding in midfield it only seemed a matter of time before a goal would come from the home side.

However, it was the visitors who almost took the lead against the run of play when Matt Clarke produced a vital block to deny Murray's goal-bound effort.

There was another scare moments later when Barker climbed above Clarke to head straight at Russell.

Mansfield's ability to find cracks in the home rearguard was clearly causing some concern on the Quakers bench, but before they could address the problem the visitors went ahead just after the half hour .

Jake Buxton won a header inside the Quakers half to release Barker down the left and, after holding off Fleming, the Stags striker fired low under the body of Russell.

Barker's strike came as a real sucker-punch to Quakers, who had started the half so well, only to go in at half-time a goal down.

And they almost fell further behind a minute into the second half when Wayne Corden curled his free-kick off the crossbar with Russell beaten.

Things got worse for Quakers on the hour mark when they were temporarily reduced to ten men following a clash of heads between Clarke and team-mate, Joe Kendrick. But while Clarke was receiving treatment, Quakers drew level through Wijnhard.

It's safe to say the Dutchman has scored better goals in his career, but they all count. Clark's cross from the left was met by Alun Armstrong, whose attempted shot was blocked, before Wijnhard's pounced to poke the ball home.

And it almost got better for Quakers when Pilkington tipped over Hignett's free-kick and then saved from point-blank range to deny Wijnhard a second.

Pilkington was, however, helpless in the 75th minute to stop Hignett hitting the winner. Wijnhard won the free-kick on the edge of the area and Hignett's low drive was deflected into the net.

Result: Darlington 2 Mansfield Town 1.