For the first time since their reformation in 2012 Darlington have beaten a football league side in the FA Cup. They took Walsall to a replay twelve months ago and this result shows the club is progressing well on their road to recovery.
Marine of Merseyside from the eighth tier of English football rightly take the headlines after knocking League 2 Colchester out on penalties. Remember the Essex side beat Spurs the same way in the League Cup last season, but Darlington sit 66 places below Swindon on the great league ladder of football and they deserve their moment in the spotlight too.
Two goals from Adam Campbell secured the victory, with Darlington unlucky not to have scored a third with a goal narrowly ruled out for offside when the game was nil nil. As I’m an observer rather than a reporter, and by observer I mean via the Internet, here’s The Northern Echo account of the match.
On Friday I wondered what impact no crowds would have on cup ties. With Swindon looking less likely to get the equaliser as the minutes ticked down, the groans and grumbles from spectators would only have added a frustrated edge to a miserable afternoon. Frankly by the final whistle had fans been allowed in the ground many would have left. Timid and mediocre were adjectives used by Radio Wiltshire. Turns out Swindon make a habit of losing in the first round, seven times in nine seasons, but whilst the Town players trudged off with heads bowed the Darlington squad celebrated what is undoubtedly one of the standout results of the round.
Striker Adam Campbell is the sort of player often found in non-league football. Big things were expected of the Newcastle United youngster, he’d represented England up to under 19 level and became the youngest to play for Newcastle in European competition during a Europa League match against Atromitos of Greece in 2012, at the same time the new Darlington club were starting out in football’s ninth tier. After several years bouncing around leagues of England and Scotland on loan, he signed for Nots County, then Morecambe before finding a home at Darlington. Last season’s top scorer with sixteen goals, today are two of his most significant.
Campbell may be a key man in attack, but vastly experienced Nicky Hunt in defence is the kind of presence vital for a non-league club on a cup run. He made over 120 appearances for Bolton in the Premier League and more than 250 in a Football League career which includes Bristol City, Preston, Rotherham and Leyton Orient.
with no live coverage from either BBC or BT Sport, nor reporter sent to cover the match by Five Live, this was a potential giant killing which slipped under the radar, but Swindon are having a tough time. It’s now 10 defeats in thirteen matches and they’re without a manager as Richie Wellens recently left to drop down a division and join Salford City. Darlo fans day will have been made extra sweet as Salford defeated Hartlepool.
Darlington are ball number 10 in Monday evenings draw. The dynamic changes now. Managers and coaches may take a different view but pressure should be off a non-league team in the first round. There’s nothing to lose, especially if you’ve already drawn a name from the EFL. However, Darlington, Marine, Kings Lynn, Stockport and Boreham Wood now have much to gain. They’re one match away from a potential dream ticket. You can now cross “it’s what the FA Cup is all about” off your football cliché bingo card.
Glory Hunting 