Match Report - Darlo 2 Dale 1

Darlo were a bit naughty with some very late watering of the pitch, making it a different sort of surface to the ones that we'd warmed up on, and it did prove to catch a couple of our players out during the first half. However, the biggest victim was one of the freelance photographers who got both himself and his laptop soaked by one down by the corner. Quite what he expected the Policeman to do with his wet laptop as he complained in vain.

It was somewhat surprising to see that Darlington actually managed to find eleven players to put together to start the game. As the only team in the country to suffer from injuries, we'd heard their tales of woe to such an extent that I had visions of them borrowing one of subs simply to make up the numbers.

After last week's reserve outing against Shrewsbury, we brought back the first team, with Nathan Stanton sitting out the second game in his suspension. Hilly opted to play D'Laryea ahead of Holness in his absence.

The first half belonged to Darlington. They'd played a defensive 4-5-1 formation, with just Tommy Wright up front. This led to them outnumbering us in midfield, and we found it hard to stamp our style of play on the game and we had little time on the ball.

It was a very open game, especially with so much dependant on it. Both sides were looking to press, but certainly Darlo had the early edge. They had a few corners which caused a bit of panic, and D'Laryea being a little too laid back on the ball almost let them in, but we stood strong.

Whilst the home side were certainly having the bulk of the early chances, we had the first proper one. Darlo defender Alan White who was red carded at Spotland earlier this season was caught in possession by Chris Dagnall. He nicked it off him, broke into the box and curled a shot past the Fulham bound Darlo keeper Stockdale.

Unfortunately for us, the ball cannoned off the woodwork to massive "oohs" from the away end. Even the video replays on their big screen were met with "oohs" as if somehow there might be a different result that time round.

But that foray into the Darlo half proved to be our only real chance. We had plenty of possession, and we got into good areas, but we were crowded out far too often and we struggled to convert possession into chances.

At the other end, we had Tommy Lee to thank on a couple of occasions. The home side were certainly pressing and looked the more likely of the two sides to grab the opening goal.

So if you have to concede a goal, it may as well be a pretty special one. And it came from Darlington's on loan midfielder Kennedy who produced an absolute stunning finish to give Darlo their lead. He got the ball, looped it over McArdle's head before firing from the edge of the box. Worth every one of the numerous replays on the aforementioned big screen.

Whatever was said at half time, then they should wrap those words up and inscribe them on gold. For, we came out a completely different side. The nerves had gone, and we simply ran the show from that point on. Our four man midfield looked to have at least three more players in their five man midfield. Jonah was possessed, and played like he was ensuring that his record appearances achievement and his multitude of Player of the Season awards were not to be his final honours of the season.

The turnaround was massive, and it could only have been a matter of time before we levelled things. We really took things to Darlington, and with the crescendo from the away end, many out there in TV land will have assumed that we were the home side. The goal had to come. It did.

With Le Fondre warming up on the touchline ready to come on for Dagnall, Dagnall decided to make a case for keeping him on for that little bit longer. Daggers found himself a bit of space and attempted to curl it to the keeper's left. Fortunately for us, it took a wicked deflection and it took forever to reach the back of the net. But it did, and that equaliser was exactly what we'd deserved.

We were running riot at this stage. We were causing them all sorts of problems and we looked capable of booking our place at Wembley right there and then. We even had Flicker telling our players to calm down, such was the drive to win the game from our lads.

The Darlington defenders were doing a great job in just trying to keep up with us. We were playing the football that we have become used to under Keith Hill, with both wingers causing issues. However, Foster was proving exactly why he made it on to the PFA team, and had it not been for him, then Darlington would have no doubt wilted under the May sunshine.

And then in possibly their only venture into our half in the second period of the game, they nicked a goal. A free kick was given away just inside the Dale half, earning Jonah a booking. Wainwright's cross was met with a free header by the Darlington sub. Lee was forced to come looking for it, but he couldn't get close enough and the ball looped over his head into the back of the net, prompting celebrations suggesting that this was a one off match.

It was a cruel, cruel blow and far from what we deserved, but it was a million miles from being a case of disaster striking. It took away the advantage we had built up in the away leg up until that point, and knocked some of the momentum we were carrying.

They could have added another, as seconds ticked away, when Joachim broke through, but McArdle did what he always does, and cleaned up effectively, with some very half hearted appeals for a foul from the Darlington faithful.

So 2-1 it finished, and we'd had done to us what we've done to so many sides over the season with the late goal, but there was no drooping heads, no reason to be down, we're still in this.

And if at any stage, you're feeling despondent about the result, ask yourself this. Had we been at home and won the first leg, would you really think it was in the bag? And we've proved all season that we're a second half team. Yesterday was simply the first half. Game on.