Quakers record an overdue win as they put three past Chris Turner's Stockport County side. Pictures by Les Hodge.

With the visit of Grimsby Town the following weekend Quakers were in desperate need of a result. However Edgeley Park is far from the easiest place to record a victory these days. Whilst the Cheshire club started the day well down the pecking order in League two they had managed to turn their home ground into a fortress (of sorts). Chris Turner's men had lost just once all season in their own back yard but the home faithful has had to endure plenty of stalemates during the last four and a bit months.

Despite his best intentions manager Dave Hodgson was unable to name the same side that saw defeat at Gay Meadow in midweek. An ankle problem forced Shelton Martis to the sidelines and he was replaced with Matthew Clarke in the heart of the Darlington backline which would come up against a Stockport forward force minus Jermaine Easter who had netted nine times for County so far in the current campaign.

With a lack of results down the years at Edgeley Park it would have taken some considerable faith, something has become increasingly hard to find in recent weeks, to expect not only a win but one with three goals for a Darlington side who rarely punish the opposition when the chances come along. This however was exactly what happened and whilst the win was welcomed with open it arms it wasn't as one way as the scoreline suggested.

The opening exchanges at times didn't suggest the drama that was to unfold in the second half but Quakers fought hard and created some decent openings in the first half but none as good the one which led to the visitors taking the lead. An excellent Phil Stamp pass, underlining his accuracy and range which he demonstrated until tiredness forced his removal in the second period, found Carlos Logan who, despite a rather wobbly first touch, finished brilliantly into the bottom right corner of James Spencer's goal. Prior to this Logan had couple of earlier chances and Dickman came mightily close to connecting with one of the left wingers' crosses from a nineteenth minute free kick.

Before they took the lead Dave Hodgson's men were indebted to goalkeeper Bert Bossu who, despite an unfortunate start to his career in a Darlington shirt, has started to look sound in between the sticks with three good performances in recent weeks behind him. On twenty-five minutes the Frenchman pulled off an excellent one handed save from a Tess Bramble header to ensure that Logan's opener was exactly that, an opening goal. Bossu was tested once more before the break when Briggs saw a low effort easily gathered by Sam Russell's replacement.

The second half was a back to the wall affair for the visitors at times but Quakers sprang beautifully on the break twice in the closing stages to ensure the points were going back to the North East. In truth the two remaining goals in his game put a gloss on the proceedings and Stockport fans must have been cursing their luck when they saw a shot smack against the woodwork and the extended periods of pressure passed up by their side.

Brigg's sixty-third minute drive onto Bossu's upright could have gone in on another day and given the Hatters a way back but not on this occasion. The home side hit the side netting a few minutes later and whilst Dave Hodgson's men may have been considered to ride their luck at times put the game beyond their hosts with two lethally taken goals.

Ten minutes from time Simon Johnson found space on the break down the left before slipping the ball into the path of an unmarked Ndumbu-Nsungu who hit a rising shot from ten yards out which doubled the advantage. A few minutes later substitute Neil Wainwright laid the third goal on a plate for Akpo Sodje with a wonderfully accurate cross which the former Huddersfield Town man glanced home to seal the victory and maybe put Stockport County manager Chris Turner out of a job. A welcome victory following recent results in League two for Darlington but now Quakers must kick on and find some consistency.

Stockport: Spencer, Greenwood, Clare, Ashley Williams, Robinson, Singh (Crowe 80), Briggs, Boshell, Hamshaw, Bramble, Malcolm. Subs: Ikeme, Vieira, Allen, Tunnicliffe, Crowe.

Darlington: Bossu, Valentine, Clarke, Hutchinson, Kendrick, Stamp (Sodje 66), Keltie, Dickman (Webster 89), Johnson, Ndumbu-Nsungu, Logan (Wainwright 54). Subs: Close, Appleby, Webster, Sodje, Wainwright.

Stockport bookings: Greenwood

Darlington bookings: Clarke

Goals: Logan 37th min (1-0), Ndumbu-Nsungu 84th min (2-0), Sodje 86th min (3-0).