Ryan Gilligan completed a second-half fight-back by Northampton which left Darlington in dire trouble at the bottom of League Two.
The hosts took a surprising lead when Jeff Smith's deep cross from the right found Tadgh Purcell at the far post who applied the simple tap-in.
Northampton's equaliser came when Billy McKay rounded Darlington keeper Shane Redmond and fired in from eight yards.
And McKay fed Gilligan whose low drive beat the keeper and settled the game.
Northampton boss Ian Sampson told BBC Radio Northampton:
"We were made to work very hard. They pushed us all the way on a heavy pitch.
"We stayed strong and I'm very pleased for the players and the small band of supporters who made the long journey."
Live text and stats
Tuesday, 26 January 2010
League Two
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Darlington
1-2
Northampton
FT
(HT 1-0)
Purcell 29
Mckay 55
Gilligan 70
Darlington
23 Redmond
04 White
06 Miller
20 Giddings
22 Madden
07 Smith
11 Dempsey (Whelan 78) (Gray 81)
15 Main (Deane 68)
19 Purcell
28 Waite
30 Diop
Substitutes
13 Liversedge,
02 Arnison,
27 McReady,
12 Gray,
14 Smith,
10 Whelan,
29 Deane
Northampton
01 Dunn
03 Johnson
05 Hinton
06 Beckwith
23 Gilbert (Rodgers 75)
04 Guttridge
08 Osman
11 Holt
12 Gilligan (Thornton 75)
10 Akinfenwa (Herbert 64)
17 Mckay
Substitutes
27 Lumley,
02 Rodgers,
19 Curtis,
22 Herbert,
25 Wilkinson,
30 Thornton,
28 O'Flynn
Ref: BoyesonAtt: 1,694
DARLINGTON
NORTHAMPTON
Possession
Darlington51%
Northampton49%
Attempts on target
Darlington0
Northampton1
Attempts off target
Darlington8
Northampton7
Corners
Darlington3
Northampton4
Fouls
Darlington14
Northampton14
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+3:13 The final whistle goes and the game is over.
90:00+2:07 Unfair challenge on Paul Rodgers by Jeff Smith results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Chris Dunn.
90:00+1:40 Billy Mckay is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Free kick taken by Shane Redmond.
87:50 Tadgh Purcell takes a shot. Save by Chris Dunn. Tadgh Purcell takes a inswinging corner. Tadgh Purcell takes a inswinging corner from the left by-line to the near post, Chris Dunn makes a save.
87:29 The ball is swung over by Stuart Giddings.
86:51 Free kick awarded for a foul by Paul Rodgers on Jeff Smith. Free kick taken by Simon Madden.
85:35 Courtney Herbert is ruled offside. Free kick taken by Shane Redmond.
85:12 Courtney Herbert is caught offside. Direct free kick taken by Shane Redmond.
82:41 Simon Madden crosses the ball, Chris Dunn makes a save.
82:20 Andrew Holt crosses the ball, clearance by Stuart Giddings.
81:51 Free kick awarded for a foul by Gareth Waite on Kevin Thornton. Dean Beckwith takes the free kick.
77:53 Substitution Gary Dempsey goes off and Noel Whelan comes on.
76:34 Ian Miller produces a cross, Luke Guttridge manages to make a clearance.
74:57 Substitution Ryan Gilligan goes off and Kevin Thornton comes on.
74:23 Substitution Peter Gilbert leaves the field to be replaced by Paul Rodgers.
73:32 Foul by Abdul Osman on Mor Diop, free kick awarded. Stuart Giddings restarts play with the free kick.
73:22 The ball is crossed by Andrew Holt, Jeff Smith makes a clearance.
73:03 Courtney Herbert fouled by Gareth Waite, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Craig Hinton.
72:30 Tadgh Purcell fouled by Ryan Gilligan, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Stuart Giddings.
71:57 Courtney Herbert is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Shane Redmond restarts play with the free kick.
71:05 John Johnson fouled by Gary Dempsey, the ref awards a free kick. Chris Dunn restarts play with the free kick.
70:26 Jeff Smith takes a shot.
69:01 Assist on the goal came from Billy Mckay.
69:01 GOAL - Ryan Gilligan:Darlington 1 - 2 Northampton Ryan Gilligan scores a goal from the edge of the penalty area to the bottom right corner of the goal. Darlington 1-2 Northampton.
69:01 The ball is crossed by Billy Mckay,
67:43 Substitution Patrick Deane comes on in place of Curtis Main.
65:57 Foul by Luke Guttridge on Tadgh Purcell, free kick awarded. Stuart Giddings takes the free kick.
64:55 Ryan Gilligan concedes a free kick for a foul on Gareth Waite. Direct free kick taken by Gary Dempsey.
63:59 Substitution Courtney Herbert on for Adebayo Akinfenwa.
61:44 A cross is delivered by Stuart Giddings, free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Andrew Holt by Tadgh Purcell. Chris Dunn takes the direct free kick.
58:08 Mor Diop is caught offside. Free kick taken by Craig Hinton.
57:47 Simon Madden delivers the ball, save by Chris Dunn.
Correction - 54:52 Assist by Ryan Gilligan.
Correction - 54:52 GOAL - Billy Mckay:Darlington 1 - 1 Northampton Billy Mckay finds the back of the net with a goal from inside the penalty box to the bottom left corner of the goal. Darlington 1-1 Northampton.
54:52 Assist by Billy Mckay.
54:52 GOAL - Ryan Gilligan:Darlington 1 - 1 Northampton Ryan Gilligan scores a goal from inside the area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Darlington 1-1 Northampton.
54:10 The ball is crossed by Simon Madden, Mor Diop concedes a free kick for a foul on Chris Dunn. Chris Dunn takes the free kick.
53:27 A cross is delivered by Stuart Giddings, clearance made by John Johnson.
52:23 Adebayo Akinfenwa takes a shot. Blocked by Alan White. Corner taken by Peter Gilbert from the right by-line, save made by Shane Redmond.
52:11 Ryan Gilligan produces a cross, clearance made by Ian Miller.
51:33 Curtis Main takes a shot.
50:24 Gary Dempsey concedes a free kick for a foul on Andrew Holt. Luke Guttridge produces a strike on goal direct from the free kick.
50:01 Gareth Waite is penalised for a handball. Chris Dunn restarts play with the free kick.
49:34 Free kick awarded for a foul by Peter Gilbert on Jeff Smith. Free kick taken by Ian Miller.
47:54 Centre by John Johnson.
46:30 The ball is crossed by Luke Guttridge, Adebayo Akinfenwa produces a header from inside the area that goes over the bar.
46:06 Curtis Main gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on John Johnson. Luke Guttridge takes the free kick.
45:01 The second half begins.
Half Time
45:00+3:11 The referee blows for half time.
45:00+2:13 A cross is delivered by John Johnson, Foul by Andrew Holt on Shane Redmond, free kick awarded. Shane Redmond takes the free kick.
44:15 Andrew Holt sends in a cross, clearance by Shane Redmond.
42:49 Abdul Osman is adjudged to have handled the ball. Direct free kick taken by Gary Dempsey.
40:05 Effort from the edge of the box by Ryan Gilligan goes wide of the left-hand upright.
39:15 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Dean Beckwith by Mor Diop. Free kick taken by Dean Beckwith.
37:24 Simon Madden sends in a cross, save by Chris Dunn.
36:48 Ryan Gilligan takes a shot. Blocked by Alan White.
36:13 Free kick awarded for a foul by Craig Hinton on Mor Diop. Direct free kick taken by Gary Dempsey.
Correction - 35:41 The ball is delivered by Luke Guttridge, Andrew Holt takes a shot. Save by Shane Redmond.
35:41 Luke Guttridge sends in a cross, Andrew Holt takes a shot. Chris Dunn makes a save.
35:26 Billy Mckay sends in a cross, Gary Dempsey manages to make a clearance.
Correction - 33:54 The ball is crossed by Peter Gilbert, Ian Miller makes a clearance. Corner crossed in by Peter Gilbert.
33:54 Centre by Peter Gilbert, Ian Miller manages to make a clearance. Peter Gilbert delivers a inswinging corner to near post.
32:24 Tadgh Purcell produces a left-footed shot from the edge of the box and misses to the right of the target.
28:15 Assist on the goal came from Jeff Smith.
28:15 GOAL - Tadgh Purcell:Darlington 1 - 0 Northampton Tadgh Purcell grabs a goal from close range to the bottom left corner of the goal. Darlington 1-0 Northampton.
28:08 The ball is swung over by Jeff Smith. The ball is swung over by Jeff Smith,
24:35 Gareth Waite concedes a free kick for a foul on Andrew Holt. Craig Hinton restarts play with the free kick.
22:23 The ball is crossed by John Johnson, save by Shane Redmond.
21:36 Alan White concedes a free kick for a foul on Adebayo Akinfenwa. Craig Hinton takes the free kick.
21:19 Jeff Smith takes a shot.
20:14 Billy Mckay produces a left-footed shot from the edge of the box and misses to the left of the target.
20:05 Abdul Osman produces a cross, clearance made by Ian Miller.
19:09 Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Luke Guttridge played to the near post.
18:35 The offside flag is raised against Mor Diop. Free kick taken by Chris Dunn.
Correction - 17:31 The ball is sent over by Jeff Smith, Curtis Main concedes a free kick for a foul on Ryan Gilligan. Chris Dunn restarts play with the free kick.
17:31 The ball is sent over by Jeff Smith, free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Ryan Gilligan by Curtis Main. Free kick taken by Chris Dunn.
16:59 Andrew Holt is penalised for handball and concedes a free kick. Shane Redmond takes the direct free kick.
14:47 Simon Madden takes a shot. Corner taken by Peter Gilbert. Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Shane Redmond by Adebayo Akinfenwa. Free kick taken by Shane Redmond.
13:37 Foul by Ryan Gilligan on Curtis Main, free kick awarded. Gary Dempsey crosses the ball from the free kick right-footed from left channel, Ryan Gilligan makes a clearance.
12:44 The referee blows for offside against Ryan Gilligan. Free kick taken by Shane Redmond.
11:50 Adebayo Akinfenwa concedes a free kick for a foul on Ian Miller. Gary Dempsey takes the direct free kick.
9:35 Ryan Gilligan delivers the ball, Ian Miller makes a clearance.
8:44 Adebayo Akinfenwa gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Gary Dempsey. Direct free kick taken by Shane Redmond.
8:02 Adebayo Akinfenwa challenges Alan White unfairly and gives away a free kick. Shane Redmond takes the free kick.
7:04 Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Gary Dempsey from the left by-line, save made by Chris Dunn.
5:42 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Tadgh Purcell by Dean Beckwith. Direct free kick taken by Shane Redmond.
4:46 Gary Dempsey concedes a free kick for a foul on Ryan Gilligan. Craig Hinton restarts play with the free kick.
3:13 Alan White takes a shot.
2:36 The assistant referee signals for offside against Curtis Main. Direct free kick taken by Chris Dunn.
1:47 Tadgh Purcell takes a shot.
0:24 Curtis Main challenges Craig Hinton unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Craig Hinton.
0:00 The referee gets the game started.
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