Darlington went into this game on the back of eight straight defeats and were one game away from equalling an unwanted club record. Quakers' boss Dave Penney has rolled in the new faces during the January transfer window in a bid to wrestle the season back on track. So who better to visit than a team who are splashing the cash like there is no tomorrow? As it turned out nobody better.
George Boyd, veteran Micah Hyde, Josh Low are just some of the new recruits Keith Alexander has at his disposal and quite frankly a bench every League Two side will be the envy of. Yeo, Jalal, Trevor Benjamin, Ben Futcher and Peter Gain! Of course Darlington themselves boats a gaggle of new blood; Tim Ryan, a returning Evan Horwood, David Wheater and Lee Jones make up a hugely restructured rearguard that played better on Tuesday but still suffered defeat, albeit to a side a division higher than themselves.
It was a pretty uneventful start, in which a Brain Close booking was the only thing of note, baring a couple of defensive hiccups - Jones twice rooted to the spot; first from a Boyd free kick which missed everyone and then after he initially fumble under pressure from a corner, and also Horwood's indecivness almost proved costly after he gave the ball away on the left touchline despite having more than ample time to clear the danger.
It took nineteen minutes before either keeper was truly tested; Clark Keltie's free kick, following a foul on Neil Wainwright twenty yards out, was easily caught by the well positioned Tyler but it was still a decent attempt by the under fire skipper aiming towards the extreme left of the goal. But as is normally the case these days a Darlington attempt usually follows an opposition one. And today was no different, and nor was the outcome. After Wheater seemed to halt the attack on the left Posh managed to retrieve the ball cut inside and harmlessly fire into the bottom corner. How Adam Smith's shot wasn't blocked by one of the surrounding defenders is an equal mystery only to how Jones was so late onto the shot.
The opener appeared to signal business as usual but as the first half drew to a close there was a bit of encouragement to be had. A lovely little interchange of passing between Close, Keltie and finally Joachim almost found a gap in the otherwise solid Peterborough defence, which included former target Guy Branston, whilst a spirited chase down by Wainwright kept the ball in play albeit his cross was cleared. It was an endeavour which paid off in rather surprising fashion. Keltie well flighted cross from the left was met by the 6' plus frame of David Wheater and was duly bulleted past a rooted Tyler into the top of the net.
After his assist captain Keltie came close to notching up one on the score sheet himself blasting a sweetly struck shot from distance narrowly wide with Tyler struggling to make the ground up. With seconds to go before the break Wheater wasn't willing to let his strike go to waste, and as such pulled off a string of superb defensive blocks to deny Posh three times. First his lunging challenge denied McLean and he was equal to the same man again off the rebound before his trilogy prevented the very lively Boyd from testing Jones.
The impetus carried into the second half with Alexander's men under the cosh. Wainwright accelerated down the right like the Stig in a Ford Mustang but his cross was far too deep and Rowson Picked up the pieces to win a corner. Similarly the corner was also a bit too deep but Tim Ryan was once again lurking undetected at the back stick to return the ball across but, again, nobody was at home - to the infuriation of the debutant.
But the hosts weren't to be denied a third time and with just over five minutes of the second half played scored a beauty. Wainwright broke with venom down the right and delivered a pearler for Julian Joachim to thunder past Tyler with his head giving the stopper no chance. What a difference ten minutes make. Two goals that at half past three were only imaginable. Out of nowhere Darlo were on top and looked favourites to add to the score. Things got even better as five minutes on and just like 'Smoking Aces' the hit went down.
A ball over the top met the expertly timed run of JJ to beat the offside and just like a hit man the 100k signing was predatorial thumping past Tyler on the half volley with the keeper back peddling in no mans land. A quite staggering turn around complete but the job was not done, this Peterborough side are no mugs and with still a quarter of the match left there was still plenty of room for a comeback. In a bid to make the comeback a reality Big Trev Benjamin replaced goalscorer Smith to make up a three pronged attack.
But there was new fight and resolve in this side, a spirit that was exemplified by the work horse Wainwright, whose probing just after the restart was the catalyst of the reprieve, when he sprinted back after Wheater was dispossessed to cut out a dangerous attack just outside his own penalty area. With ten minutes to go Lee Jones acrobatically tipped a McLean header onto the bar and out for a corner.
As Posh pushed, Darlo twice had great chances to truly kill the game off on the break. Wainwright was involved both times, first charging from his own half but the lack of support meant his hesitation to do Morgan allowed blue shirts to get back in numbers, and the second, with five minutes to go, saw him latch onto Joachim's cross field pass after he stole the ball from Arber but Wainy's shot sliced high and wide.
As the injury time was signalled, it seemingly also signalled that Wainy wasn't going to get a goal today. After Armstrong recklessly gave the ball away with a loose cross field pass, Close brilliantly timed his tackle and delivered a delightful outside of the right footer to Wainy who once again did everything right until it came to shooting. The second half was a joy to watch; attacking with pace and purpose, solid resolute defending and keeping possession well when it mattered. Wainwright was electric, Joachim emphatic and Tim Ryan's organisation of the backline was perhaps the deciding factor. Like his former Donny cohort Albrighton he made it is mission to keep the defence on the straight and narrow and stewarded the youngsters like the seasoned pro he is. A step in the right direction now lets do Bury.
Darlington: Jones, Close, Tim Ryan, Wheater, Horwood, Wainwright, Keltie, Rowson, Johnson (James 78), Joachim, Armstrong (Ngoma 90). Subs: Stockdale, Holloway, Reay, Ngoman, James.
Peterborough: Tyler, Newton, Branston (Futcher 52), Morgan, Arber, Low, Butcher (Gain 71), Hyde, Smith (Benjamin 64), Boyd, Mclean. Subs: Jalal, Yeo, Futcher, Gain, Benjamin.
Darlington bookings: Close.
Peterborough bookings: Mclean.
Goals: Smith 23rd min (0-1), Wheater 41st min (1-1), Joachim 51st min (2-1), Joachim 61st min (3-1).
Report by Garry Mann.
