Story by Kevin Luff - 23rd October 2006

Gray admits Quakers needed a touch of luck

Speaking after Darlington's 2-0 home win over Barnet Martin Gray admitted his side had been somewhat fortunate to pick up the three points. Quakers were far from their best but still secured the win with two late goals - one from Simon Johnson and the other an own goal.

Gray felt though the goals came from two moments of quality. Having seen his side pegged back at Hereford United a week previously Gray reasoned that his side were due a bit of luck pointing out that Quakers could have been well in control at Edger Street.

"I thought we had a bit of luck but we need it," admitted Gray. "We went down to Hereford last week and we could have been 3-0 up at half time. You work hard for your luck and the reason I say that is because these players have worked for me on the training ground and it has paid off today. It was two great little bits of quality from Martin Smith and I thought our two goals were from good play. When we changed certain personal and the subs came on that livened things up."

The introductions of Tano Giallanza and Johnson after fifty-three and sixty-seven minutes respectively made a massive difference to Darlington and both played significant parts in Quakers returning to winning ways. "Some days you put subs on and change systems and it works. The tactics worked today but I thought we had a little bit of luck towards the end. Having said that we dug in, won the important headers, Sam (Russell) came and took some of the pressure of us so it has been a great day for us," said Gray.

Gray also went on to reveal that midfielder Michael Cummins picked up a bad knock which would have seen most players leave the pitch. Darlington by that point had used all their substations and Gray paid credit to the former Port Vale man for sticking it out.

"I had to liven things up without going over the top. Certain things needed to be said in there. We needed to do things a lot quicker as a team, have a little more appetite and start picking the pieces up. In the second half we did that better. I thought Clark Keltie did that well for us in the second half with Micky Cummins. To be fair to Micky he took a bad whack off Hessenthaler. On another day he would have come off if we had another sub but he stuck in and stayed out there for us," said Gray.

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