DARLINGTON manager Josh Gowling said that his players were “absolutely outstanding” as they won their crucial basement clash at Gloucester.

Quakers produced their most professional performance yet under their manager who has been in charge for three months. They kept their composure throughout the game, snuffed out the Gloucester threats and played some good counter-attacking football, with new signing Akwasi Asante showing what a danger he can be.

Considering that Quakers lost two players, Kallum Griffiths and Cameron Salkeld, in the build-up because of a virus, and that four more were out because of injury and suspension, their victory was well-deserved. It maybe didn’t possess the flair of last season’s 6-2 win at the Tigerturf Stadium, but it was just as professional.

The win lifted Darlington above Gloucester into third bottom, and took them to within five points of fifth-bottom Rushall Olympic, with two games in hand and a home game against bottom club Bishop’s Stortford coming up on Saturday. In the form table of the last five games, Quakers are eighth with two wins and two draws, and more displays like this will hopefully see them continue their climb out of trouble.

“I thought we were really resilient and stuck to the game plan really well,” said Gowling. “You always worry about what kind of reaction you get if you haven’t played for three weeks, but I thought to a man they were absolutely outstanding.

“That puts us five points behind Rushall with two games in hand. We weren’t happy with our two home draws against them and Warrington, so we could easily have had nine points from three games.

“I can sense the penny is dropping a little bit with the players. We were a bit more organised and creating opportunities as well. We’re looking for consistency, and we’ve got to back this win up now with performances the club can be proud of.”

Gloucester caused an early problem for Quakers when Elliott Durrell picked the ball up on the left, cut inside, and fired just wide with Tommy Taylor beaten.

But Quakers settled and after growing in confidence with some good possession football, took the lead on nine minutes. Adriano Moke collected a throw-in from Ben Hedley and found Jonny Ngandu, who wrong-footed his man in the box and curled the ball beyond Gloucester keeper Zach Jeacock.

The former Coventry player nearly scored a delightful second soon after, when he controlled a long ball from Jake Lawlor, ran at the Gloucester defence, and curled a right-foot effort just wide of the post.

Quakers remained level thanks to an outstanding save by Taylor on 29 minutes. A corner came out to Gloucester left-back Jamie Reckford, who hit a powerful shot towards the top corner that Taylor just managed to push over the bar.

Asante’s influence steadily grew on the game and after Max Ram was booked for fouling him for the second time in two minutes, he set up Ngandu in the box and his shot was blocked for a corner. Hedley’s corner fell for Toby Lees, who volleyed wide.

And just on half-time, Asante held the ball up well and set up Ngandu, whose right-foot shot went just over the bar.

In the second half, Gloucester’s frustration was obvious when they brought on tall striker Danny Wright, but it didn’t make that much difference as Quakers stayed largely in control.

Quakers had a couple of half-chances on the break to add a second, but they were content to make themselves difficult to break down.

It was nearly 2-0 on 87 minutes when Moke cleverly split the Gloucester defence for teenage substitute Brad Williams to break through and fire narrowly wide of the post.

Gloucester threw everybody forward in stoppage time but Quakers managed the situation well.