Quakers win thriller at Stockport

Two goals inside the first three minutes set the tone for an incredible match that saw both teams hold the lead an various stages and Quakers snatch the points thanks to a stunning strike from Greg Taylor five minutes from time.

Both the goal and the game will live long in the memory, but of more significance was the club's second away win of the season.

Their second victory in nine games lifts Quakers to 14th in the Blue Square Premier table and Mark Cooper was delighted to see a huge improvement on Saturday's dismal defeat at Bath City, after which chairman Raj Singh publicly backed the manager.

Despite the chairman's support, a win to stop the rot was needed and they gave themselves a great chance by taking the lead after only 62 seconds.

Liam Hatch's effort was been parried by keeper Matt Glennon, and Jamie Chandler reacted quickest to slide home, but their advantage lasted less than two minutes.

EDGING IT: Hatch tries to stop the cross

John Miles' right-wing cross found Nick Chadwick, who was unmarked 12 yards from goal, and his glancing header gave Ole Soderberg no chance.

Allowing Chadwick so much room was a basic error that not even allowing for a new centre-back partnership - Exodus Geoghaghon and Jonatan Sanchez-Munoz - could excuse, and so Darlington's early advantage had been wasted.

The frenetic pace didn't relent and Darlington twice almost retook the lead. Hatch just missed a header close to goal as he raced to connect with an Adam Rundle cross, and then James Walshaw fired wide after a Hatch flick-on as Quakers created more scoring opportunities in the opening exchanges than they did throughout Saturday's game.

But in 12th minute came the third goal, and it went to Dietmar Hamann's side.

After an attack up the left, Jon Nolan pulled the ball back from the byline and Michael Paton fired into the net with Sanchez-Munoz getting the last touch, but the goal will go to the home winger.

It had been an attractive passing move in the build-up, of the sort Stockport occasionally showed themselves capable of which was no surprise given the pedigree of their manager, ex-Liverpool and Newcastle midfielder Didi Hamann.

But Darlington were equally adept on the deck. Playing a 4-4-2 formation, they looked likely to score whenever they ventured forward and they levelled on the half-hour mark with Rundle the creator.

The winger was recalled as one of six changes, and from his position wide on the right he fired over a cross to the far post that Walshaw prodded home.

It proved to the final goal of the half, but Stockport forced two more half-chances before the break.

Chandler, captain in the absence of the suspended Graeme Lee, threw himself in front of a John Miles effort and the same player then brought a save out of Soderberg.

However, the hosts made it 3-2 seven minutes into the second half, but the goal owed more to fortune than it did creativity.

Paton will be credited with it after letting fly from 20 yards, but his effort took a huge deflection off Greg Taylor that completely wrong-footed Soderberg.

It was harsh on Quakers, but a goal typical of the topsy-turvy nature of the game and Darlington did not have to wait long to level and again Chandler netted.

Quakers sprayed the ball across midfield and eventually Rundle's cross was headed back across goal by Hatch, but Glennon could only weakly punch it clear and the ball fell to Chandler to tap home.

The effort doubled his career tally for the club as he scored only twice all last season.

At the back Geoghaghon, who played under Cooper at both Peterborough and Kettering and has signed a contract after turning down an offer to stay at Barnet, was dominant in the air and his trademark long throws were a nuisance to Stockport.

One in the second half was only half-cleared and that led to a Rundle cross which found Sanchez-Munoz, but he somehow failed to hit the target when the goal was at his mercy.

However, the fourth and final goal soon came and it was worth waiting for.

After Chris Atkinson's corner was not sufficiently dealt with, Taylor thundered a 30-yard rising drive that Glennon had no chance of stopping.

MATCHFACTS

Goals: Chandler (2, 0-1); Chadwick (3, 1-1), Paton (12, 2-1); Walshaw (32, 2-2), Paton (52, 3-2); Chandler (61, 3-3); G Taylor (85, 3-4)

Bookings: Atkinson (30, foul), Geoghaghon (39, foul), Hatch (90, foul)

Referee: Wayne Barratt (Worcestershire)

Attendance: 2,671

Entertainment: 5/5

Stockport County (4-4-2): Glennon 5; Edwards 6, Brahim-Bounab 6 (Blackburn 46, 6), O'Donnell, Holden 6; Miles 7, Nolan 6, Sheridan 7 (McCann 90), PATON 7; Chadwick 7, Elliott 6 (German 65, 5). Subs (not used): Ormson (gk), Whitehead

Darlington (4-4-2): Soderberg 6; G TAYLOR 8, Sanchez-Munoz 6, Geoghaghon 7, K Taylor 7; Rundle 8, Chandler 8, Atkinson 7, Brown 6 (Bowman 57, 6); Walshaw 7, Hatch 8. Subs (not used): Russell (gk), Purcell, Harrison, Bridge-Wilkinson

Man of the match

GREG Taylor - His stunning strike capped a a solid performance at right-back