Darlington 1 AFC Telford 0 - Report and pictures

Mark Beck's 53rd minute penalty was enough to separate the two sides in a rather lacklustre affair.

It may not be the way the Bucks wanted to seal survival, but due to Worcester City losing 2-1 to Salford City they are six points clear of the drop zone with one game left to play - at home against Harrogate Town next weekend.

Analysis

Ash Rawlins was making his debut for Telford between the sticks. The 21-year-old was snapped up by Market Drayton Town with special permission from league officials after Callum Burton was recalled by Shrewsbury Town - at the same time as forward John Marsden returned to Stockport County.

The Bucks made four changes from the 4-2 loss against Nuneaton Town on Easter Monday as Rawlins, Luke Higham, Eddie Jones and Zak Lilly came in for Burton, Marsden, Paul McCone and Joel Dielna.

Neither McCone or Dielna travelled with the squad to Blackwell Meadows. Former Telford keeper James Montgomery - now with Gateshead, but out of action due to an injury - was in attendance though and caught up with his old team-mates before kick-off.

The Bucks spent the opening exchanges getting used to a very dry, bobbly surface which also used by Darlington RFC.

You wondered if the condition of the pitch would trouble Rawlins - who has jumped up two divisions to join Smith's charges and was bound to be nervous - but he was hardly tested in the opening 45 minutes.

Aside from a couple of routine catches, he had nothing to do as Telford set up rather defensively and aimed to threaten the home side on the counter-attack.

They did give the Quakers a few scares too as Lee Hughes forced a save from Adam Bartlett 20 minutes in, and then curled the ball wide, on the turn, shortly after.

Darlington had a couple of efforts, most notably a David Syers header from close range which went over, but all in all, it was a scrappy first period with very few moments of quality.

Neither side made any changes at the interval. The second half started as the first ended, with the Bucks looking fairly comfortable.

As has so often been the case though this season, they went on to shoot themselves in the foot as Dwayne Samuels gave away a penalty in the 52nd minute, barging David Ferguson over in the area and earning a booking.

Target man Beck stepped up to the spot and coolly converted, his left-footed strike being just out of the reach of Rawlins.

Desperate to get back into the affair, Smith made two changes just after the hour mark as Dave Hibbert - who has been on the sidelines for a while with a quad injury - and Danny Reynolds replaced Jones and Lilly.

Another attacker was soon brought on too, Dan Westwood replacing Hughes, and a chance fell Telford's way after some neat dribbling from Reynolds, but Josh Wilson's effort was straight at Bartlett.

Hibbert and Bailey both forced sharp saves in the final minutes too, but it was not to be as the Bucks' last away fixture finished in familiar fashion.

Key moments

3 - Poor defending from the hosts sees the ball drop to Telford's Lee Hughes, one-on-one with Adam Bartlett, but he doesn't connect right and the Quakers keeper gathers.

21 - Decent counter-attack from Telford. Hughes cuts in past Liam Marrs, but his shot is saved, fairly comfortably.

23 - Darlington's best opportunity so far. The ball is whipped in and David Syers, at the back post, heads over from close range.

28 - Another opportunity for Hughes, perhaps his best so far, but he curls it wide on the turn.

52 - Penalty to Darlington! Quakers full-back David Ferguson is bundled over by Dwayne Samuels - who is cautioned by referee Simeon Lucas.

53 - Goal! Darlington 1-0 Telford. Mark Beck steps up to the spot and finds the corner. Good finish from the big man.

82 - Fantastic footwork from Danny Reynolds sees him skip away from two players. He loses his footing in the area but the ball drops for Josh Wilson, who shoots straight at the keeper.

Teams

Darlington (4-4-2): Bartlett; Marrs, Hunter, Brown, Ferguson; Thompson, Turnbull (c) (Falkingham, 64), Syers (Scott, 64), Gillies; Cartman (Saunders, 70), Beck

Subs not used: Wilczinski, Wearmouth

Telford (4-3-3): Rawlins; Samuels, Havern (c), Bailey, Higham; Rea, Jones (Hibbert, 62), Fitzpatrick; Wilson, Hughes (Westwood, 78), Lilly (Reynolds, 62)

Subs not used: McCarthy, Royle

Attendance: 1,800

Referee: Simeon Lucas (Doncaster)

Position in the table

17th (41 points from 41 games)