Grimsby Town 1 Darlington 2

Darlington secured their first away win of the season thanks to goals from Greg Taylor and Paul Arnison, but they needed an incredible injury time save from Sam Russell to take the points at Grimsby Town.

The keeper dive to his right to push wide Damian Spencer's close-range vicious volley which looked certain to salvage a point for the Mariners at the end of a thoroughly entertaining match.

But somehow Russell was able to get a hand to the ball which ensured Quakers recorded their seventh win in the last eight seasons at Blundell Park.

The were chances at either end throughout with both goalkeepers seeing plenty of action, with Mariners custodian James McKeown the first to pick the ball out of his net after 11 minutes.

Grimsby had started the brightest, but after Arnison played the ball up the left to Taylor, the left-back cut inside and fired a deflected effort beyond the keeper.

And the combination was in unison again four minutes before the break to make it 2-0. After a prolonged period of Darlington possession, Taylor dribbled into the penalty area before releasing a pass to Arnison who swept home a left-footed effort from 12 yards.

Arnison was making his first start of the season after sustaining an injury in pre-season, and he was one of four changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Alfreton. Ordinarily a right-back, he was deployed in midfield as was John McReady who also made his first start as did Adam Rundle and John Campbell.

Dropped from the line-up were Ryan Bowman, Liam Hatch, Marc Bridge-Wilkinson and Jamie Chandler.

Grimsby made the ideal start to the second half, quickly pulling a goal back through Serge Makofo. The powerful left-winger had been a danger during the first 45 minutes with his direct runs, though it was a run up the right by Michael Coulson that crafted the goal.

Darlington manager Mark Cooper believed that Greg Taylor had been fouled in the build-up, but referee Scott Duncan played on and that allowed Coulson to deliver a low cross that Makofo tapped into the net at the far post.

That goal appeared to spark the hosts into life whereas Darlington initally struggled to break into Grimsby territory.

With Darlington defending too deeply, the Mariners put Quakers under pressure and Russell had to save a Coulson drive from the edge of the penalty area with his feet, though Darlington then had a shot cleared from close to he goal-line.

Hatch, on as a sub, slipped in James Walshaw whose shot beat the keeper but was cleared by full-back Bradley Wood, though it may have been going wide.

Grimsby went even closer to a goal when Russell's punch was weak fell to Darren Kempson, but the centre-back's header towards empty net clipped the top of the crossbar.

Darlington appeared to have weather the storm, on an afternoon during which heavy showers were frequent, but in injury time came the moment that Grimsby looked to have avoided defeat. Frankie Artus' delivery from the right found Spencer lurking at the far post and the sub looked to have struck a late leveller with a fiercely hit volley, but somehow Russell clawed the ball to safety.

It was a save that few could have expected to him to make, yet he did so and ensured Darlington won 2-1, though it should have been 3-1.

After a Quakers counter-attack from a Grimsby corner, at which they sent almost every player forward including the goalkeeper, Bowman dribbled the ball forward almost the lengthy of the pitch, but he delayed his shot and allowed a Grimsby defender to make a goal-line clearance.

It proved not to matter as Quakers closed out the victory and are now seventh in the table as they head into Monday's match with Lincoln City in good spirits.

Grimsby Town (4-3-3): McKeown; Wood, Pearson, Kempson, Ridley (Anson 62); Thompson (Coulson 46), Artus, Disley; Hearn, Duffy, Makofo (Spencer 87). Subs (not used): Church, Elding

Goal: Makofo (51, 1-2)

Booking: Duffy (66, dissent)

Darlington (4-4-2): Russell; Purkiss, Miller, Lee, K Taylor; Arnison (Bowman 56), G Taylor, McReady, Rundle (Hatch 67); Walshaw, Campbell (Bridge-Wilkinson 71). Subs (not used): Chandler, Atkinson

Goals: G Taylor (11, 0-1), Arnison (41, 0-2)

Bookings: Lee (31, foul), Purkiss (57, foul), McReady (80, foul)

Referee: Scott Duncan (Newcastle)

Attendance: 2,887