IMPRESSIVE Darlington continued their good start to the season with a great victory over high-flying Bristol Rovers at Feethams.

Quakers, who have taken nine out of a possible 12 points, grabbed the only goal of the game against a Rovers side that lost their 100 per cent record in the process.

Now Bennett's men have climbed level with their opponents and up into joint second in the Third Division, after Barry Conlon's strike 23 minutes from time secured victory.

Bennett was forced to make one change to the side that overcame Hartlepool. Midfielder Neil Maddison was unable to shake off the thigh strain sustained at Victoria Park and Richard Hodgson replaced him.

That loss was boosted though with the news that Rovers' star striker Nathan Ellington ruptured his shoulder joint when he fell over in training yesterday morning.

With first choice forward Ross Wear already out with a calf problem, Pirates' boss Gerry Francis fielded an unfamiliar front two of Martin Cameron and Dave Gilroy.

Rovers started the clash passing the ball around well but it was the home side that created the first opening.

Keeper Andy Collett's long punt upfield was flicked on by the towering Conlon into the path of Danny Mellanby.

Saturday's goal hero played a delightful ball to the advancing Neil Wainwright, who only had the keeper to beat, but the former Sunderland man's shot was straight at Scott Howie.

The partnership which Mellanby and Conlon are beginning to form is looking particularly dangerous and shortly after the two combined again to create a chance for the former.

Conlon's presence in the air for a high ball allowed Mellanby an opportunity to lift the ball over Howie, but the effort went just the wrong side of the post.

Bennett's men were obviously still buoyed by the success over rivals Pool and were looking the better side.

Collett, a former Rovers player, did have to be alert though when a stray pass by Hodgson allowed Cameron to have a 25-yard curling shot on target.

And then Ronnie Mauge's pass along the floor saw Gilroy turn and force Collett into another decent save from distance, as danger signs crept in for Quakers.

Left-back Simon Betts then found himself in unusual territory when he found space to shoot, however former Reading stopper, Howie, saved despite his handling being a little suspect at first.

Rovers lost their passing ways for the remainder of the first period and subsequently played right into Quaker's hands.

Defensive central pairing Craig Liddle and David Brightwell were coping with everything in the air, but it was at the opposite end were Quakers faded.

Tiredness after the hard-working derby win was not surprisingly creeping in and a boosting Bennett team talk was needed to keep his troops high in confidence.

The Feethams boss had to reshuffle his pack for the second period with the introduction of youngster Mark Convery for influential midfielder Brian Atkinson.

The change in personnel injected a little more pace into the Quakers' play and they were playing the ball around well.

And captain Liddle nearly gave his side a deserved lead when he climbed above Andy Thomson to head a Convery corner just over the bar.

Rovers midfielder Mauge, who scored the only goal in 1996 against Quakers for Plymouth in the play-off final at Wembley, was proving a tricky number in the centre of the pitch and his long range effort narrowly went wide with Collett covering.

But on 67 minutes Bennett's men were given the lead they craved, and it was created following a great move.

Mellanby's perfect pass out wide to Hodgson saw the former Nottingham Forest winger cross for Conlon whose shot seemed to take an eternity to reach the net, but it did and it led to an exciting last 20 minutes.

With his experience in football management, former Tottenham and QPR manager Francis needed to do something, especially after watching Cameron's delicate shot fly wide.

So Francis, once touted as a future England chief, pushed three men up front with the arrival of Alvin Bubb and Ricky Lopez from the bench.

And the change nearly worked but a tremendous acrobatic save by Collett that pushed Bubb's header against the bar in the closing stages ensured Quakers took the points.

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