Quakers Hit Top Spot

But they were made to fight all the way as the Magpies created some good chances in the first half before the Quakers got going.

Quakers were pushed back in the opening stages. Chorley right back Matt Challoner broke into the box and Peter Jameson dashed out and saved at his feet at the expense of a corner.

Gray’s side were caught flat-footed from the corner, which Scott Leather headed against the bar, and then 3 minutes later they escaped again when Sefton Gonzalez crossed for Paul Jarvis to volley over from ten yards.

Another chance fell to the visitors when Josh O’Keefe made an unchallenged run into the box and poked a right wing cross by Gonzalez just wide.

But the Quakers stunned the visitors by taking the lead on 14 minutes.

Liam Hardy made a good run into the box and was tripped by Kieran Charnock as he tried to create a better position for himself, and Terry Galbraith coolly converted his third penalty of the season.

Chorley though were soon back on the attack and Charnock glanced a Jarvis free-kick from the right just wide, then Marcus Carver side-stepped Liam Marrs on the left and fired in a low shot that Jameson saved one-handed.

It was the Quakers’ turn to catch their opponents napping at the start of the second half. Hardy won a corner that was swung over to the far post from the left by Josh Gillies for Galbraith to head his fourth of the season into the roof of the net.

The home side nearly got a third when Tom Portas burst down the right and tried to set up Hardy, but Sam Ashton saved well.

However, even with keeper Jameson struggling with an injury, Darlington
held on for their fourth win in five matches to put them on top of the table and unbeaten after five matches.