Quakers give Hankin a boost

Darlington 5 Exeter City 2

Darlington's relegated players staged an amazing end of season revival to give Ray Hankin the best possible reference for the managers job. Hankin took the helm when relegation was virtually certain and he failed to beat the drop from Division Three. But he was invited to apply for the job again when it was advertised last week and his hopes will have received a massive boost from Saturday's cracking win. The Quakers looked sharper in attack than they have for months particu- larly when John Borthwick came on as substitute early in the second half and even the defence showed none of the suicidal tendencies that have proved so costly all season.

Exeter took the lead in the 17th minute through Steve Moran but Darlington hit back 11 minutes later when record signing Nick Cusack fired in from a cross from Smith. Three minutes before the break, former Sunderland man Nick Pickering volleyed into an open goal but midway through the second half the visitors levelled again through substitute Gary Chapman. Borthwick restored the lead when Exeter failed to clear a corner and then he got his second in the 84th minute. He headed in from 10 yards after a brilliant break and cross from Steve Mardenborough. The fifth came in the last minute with man-of-the-match Cusack firing in

Darlington:
Prudhoe: Sunley (Borthwick 48), Coverdale. Tait. Smith, Gregan, Mardenborough, Gaughan, Cusack, Cork (Isaacs 46). Pickering.

Exeter City:
Maloy. Brown (Hilaire 80), Cook, Williams. Daniels, Whiston, Hodge, Wimbleton, Moran. Kelly. Thompstone (Chapman 26).

Referee: John Key (Scarborough).

Attendance: 1.573