Darlington assistant manager Terry Mitchell dedicates win over South Shields to 'phenomenal' fans
Darlington inflicted a rare home defeat on National League North rivals South Shields on Monday.
Darlington assistant manager Terry Mitchell dedicated his side’s 1-0 win at National League North rivals South Shields to an impressing band of travelling support at the 1st Cloud Arena.
Over 600 Quakers supporters made their way to South Tyneside as Steve Watson’s men looked to bounce back from an agonisingly late defeat against Scarborough Athletic on Friday and hand a boost to their hopes of landing a National League North play-off place.
Former Mariners striker Cedric Main was the match-winner for Darlington for the second consecutive season after he grabbed the only goal of the game in the Quakers’ 1-0 win at the 1st Cloud Arena in January last year. Main repeated that trick on Monday - although his effort owes much to the outstanding approach play of another former Mariner, Tom Allan, as his run and cross allowed the striker to beat hosts keeper Jasper Sheik from close range.
South Shields had chances to grab an equaliser during the second-half as emergency loan signing Pete Jameson denied Sonny Finch after the Mariners forward had broken in behind the visitors defence and substitute Lennon Wheeldon struck the crossbar after he was left unmarked eight yards from goal. An equaliser remained out of grasp and that left Quakers assistant Mitchell to praise an ‘outstanding’ display on and off the pitch.
He told The Gazette: “Fair play the lads because I’ve got to say every single one of them was outstanding. In the second-half, to withstand them, in what was really attack versus defence for large parts, but we have repelled an excellent side. Pete Jameson came in really late and he’s kept a clean sheet, which is outstanding. But it was an outstanding performance from every single player on the pitch.
“But I have to say that win was for the fans because we have received some unbelievable support here today. The noise they made all the way through the game was phenomenal to be honest. It’s a payback because there was devastation losing to a header in the last moment of the game on Friday so we are delighted to give them something to cheer today.”
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