Moors extended their unbeaten run to seven games as they came from behind take the honours in their meeting with local rivals Darlington at The Brewery Field on Saturday.

Graeme Lee’s men came into the game on the back of three successive home victories but were up against a Quakers outfit who were also high on confidence after four wins in a row.

Moors boss Lee made one change to his starting line-up as Matty Dolan returned after missing the midweek triumph over Alfreton Town through illness, while Callum Ross and Reece Staunton both returned to the bench after injury.

However, it was the visitors who settled quicker in a tense atmosphere in front of a bumper crowd and Brad James had to make an early save after great work from Cedric Main down the right.

Darlington’s early dominance paid off on 16 minutes when more enterprising football down the right flank opened Moors up and when the ball was played across goal, Matty Cornish was there to fire home from a tight angle at the back post.

The setback seemed to spur Moors into action, and they were level withing five minutes. The excellent Finley Shrimpton whipped a cross into the box from the right and Will Harris applied the perfect glancing header to send the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

Before long Moors hit the front. Danny Greenfield flighted a lovely ball over the top of a flummoxed Darlington defence and Rob Ramshaw raced in behind and lashed an unstoppable finish across keeper Matty Young to make it 2-1.

The dangerous Cornish looked odds-on to restore parity when he charged through on the right of goal on 36 minutes, but the energetic Shrimpton chased back to execute a perfect last-ditch tackle and prevent him getting a strike on goal.

Moors came out on top at the start of the second half and could have extended their lead when John Lufudu slalomed his way through several defenders before finally seeing his effort on goal blocked.

Mitch Curry answered back with a chance for Darlington when he scampered into space on the left of the area, but his stinging drive was brilliantly pawed away from goal by James.

As time wore on, Moors had to defend with increasing determination as their visitors pushed forward with greater desperation looking to salvage something from the game.

However, Lee’s men held firm to extend their unbeaten run further and climb into the top half of the National League North table ahead of Tuesday’s home game against Scunthorpe United.

Full Time: Moors 2 Darlington 1

Moors: James, Lufudu, Mbeka (Ledger 67), Pollock, Myers (Staunton 46), Dolan (Ross 830, Shrimpton, Greenfield, Ramshaw, McKeown, Harris.
Subs not used: Chimalilo, Fletcher.

Darlington: Young, Griffiths, Lees, Barrow, Hedley, Salkeld, Hatfield (Lindley 84), Platt, Cornish (Ngandu 77), Nelson (Curry 21), Main.
Subs not used: Taylor, Lawlor.

Referee: David Jones

Attendance: 2,428 (828 Darlington)