By Martin Walker

Darlington recorded their second win of the season with a relatively comfortable win at home to North-East neighbours Gateshead.

Paul Terry and Joe Clarke get their first Darlington goals to bag the three points for Mark Cooper's side in a much-improved performance by the Quakers.

Although there's still a lot more to come from Darlo, boss Cooper was pleased with the attitude shown by his troops.

The result put Darlington seventh in the Blue Square Bet Premier League before their trip to Barrow on Bank Holiday Monday.

Darlo created a flowing move in the third minute, culminating with Terry chipping the ball in behind the back four for Jamie Chandler but the midfielder just couldn't reach it before Tim Deasey eventually cleared.

Michael Smith could have done better tom open the scoring in the 23rd minute when Paul Arnison whipped in a great right-wing cross but the young striker couldn't get over it enough and his header was well over.

Arnison hooked a wild effort over from just inside the penalty area after Liam Hatch did well to flick Brown's left-sided throw on.

Darlington had a great opportunity to counter-attack in the 36th minute when Gary Smith broke up Gateshead's threat and released Michael Smith down the right, but he was cynically felled by the lunging Ben Clark, and the former Sunderland and Hartlepool defender was duly booked.

Craig Baxter had Gateshead's first shot on goal in the 39th minute and it was a stinging, 25-yard effort by the right-back which Russell did well to hold.

But Terry got his goal on the stroke of half-time with a well-taken strike after excellent work by young striker Michael Smith. He found Terry with a clinical right-sided ball at the second attempt and Terry swept the ball past Tim Deasey from the edge of the six-yard box.

Gateshead started the second half brightly as they probed for an early leveller, and Russell was forced to tip Martin Brittain's 51st-minute free-kick over the bar for a corner.

Clarke made it two for Darlington in the 54th minute, volleying in from close range after Gateshead fail to clear their lines.

Nathan Fisher did well to shake off two challenges on the edge of the area in the 57th minute but his eventual shot was easy enough for Russell to gather.

And two minutes later Hatch might have done better when Michael Smith did well to lay off for his fellow striker but his attempted curling shot was well over.

Gateshead almost pulled one back when they capitalised on Arnison's half-clearance but Clarke did well to block Ferrell's shot.

Matchfacts
Goals: Terry, 45; Clarke, 54
Bookings: Clark, 36; Turnbull, 85; Heckingbottom, 88 (all Gateshead)
Darlington: Russell, Arnison, Chandler (Main, 86), Hatch (Senior, 93), Wright, M Smith, Hone, G Smith (J Gray, 90), Terry, Clarke, Brown.
Unused: Jack, P Gray.
Gateshead: Deasey, Baxter, Heckingbottom, Gate, Clark, Brittain (Ferrell, 72), Turnbull, Jones, Fisher (Nelthorpe, 82), Mulligan (Wake, 46), Marwood.
Unused: Cook, Brown.
Referee: Jeremy Simpson
Attendance: 2,233