By Martin Walker

Darlington edged the first leg of this enthralling FA Trophy semi-final tie with Gateshead in a five-goal thriller at the Northern Echo Arena.

The Quakers looked dead and buried at half-time after goals by Nathan Fisher and Adam Rundle threatened to spoil the party for the home side, with 4,243 turning out at the Arena.

Fisher put Gateshead in front after 21 minutes and Rundle doubled the visitors' lead two minutes before half-time.

But Marc Bridge-Wilkinson sparked a heroic fightback by Mark Cooper's side, pulling one back in the 56th minute, before Liam Hatch grabbed a dramatic double in the space of six minutes.

He headed home Aaron brown's free-kick in the 75th minute before powering home an 81st minute 'winner'.

But it's all still to do as Darlo go to the International Stadium for the second leg next Saturday.

Darlington were presented with a glorious chance as early as the third minute when Chris Senior closed down Paul Farman and managed to block the 'keeper's clearance. The ball fell to Bridge-Wilkinson, but with an open goal to aim at he sliced his effort and there wasn't enough on it to trouble Heed's net.

Quakers pressed again in the sixth minute when Gary Smith played a one-two with Bridge-Wilkinson but Smith's shot was deflected wide.

The visitors had a great chance to open the scoring in the 10th minute when Rundle's corner found an unmarked Clark in the box, but he headed over.

Fisher created a great chance for himself in the 15th minute, turning Ian Miller and Paul Arnison inside-out before shooting into the side netting.

Jon Shaw also had a good chance a minute later when Martin Brittain whipped a cross in from the right, but the striker headed over Sam Russell's bar.

Dan Burn did well to beat Farman to the ball from Smith's 19th minute cross but his header was well wide.

But it was Gateshead who took the lead in the 21st minute. Paul Arnison failed to deal with a cross into the box and it fell to Fisher, who took one touch before smashing low into Russell's bottom right-hand corner.

Hatch did well to turn Clark down the right wing before advancing into the box, but he couldn't find Smith with a poor cross back across goal.

Senior went close to an equaliser in the 38th minute when Gateshead failed to clear Aaron Brown's ball into the box. After a mini game of head tennis it fell to Senior and the little striker did well to get his head over the ball but shot wide of Farman's right post.

Rundle almost got on the scoresheet in the 42nd minute when his flashing header was tipped over by Russell.

But Rundle made it two a minute later when Darlo again failed to clear their lines from a set-piece when Brittain's corner was headed goalwards, Arnison managed to clear off the line but Rundle was in the right place at the right time to slam home the loose ball.

The visitors should have made it three just a minute into the second half. James Tavernier crossed from the right to find Kris Gate near the edge of the six-yard box but his first-time shot was just wide.

Darlo pulled a goal back in the 56th minute when Hatch launched a high ball into the Gateshead box. Bridge-Wilkinson ghosted in and with a sublime first touch took it past a sprawling Farman before shooting, with Liddle deflecting it in.

Smith forced a smart save from Farman three minutes later, tipping his header over the bar, and Bridge-Wilkinson tried a cheeky free-kick in the 66th minute which flashed just wide.

The equaliser came in the 75th minute with a superb set-piece after Clark fouled Modest on the right side of the penalty area. Brown whipped the free-kick into the danger area and Hatch beat Farman to head home.

The big striker put Quakers ahead in the 81st minute with a powerful finish. He latched on to Bridge-Wilkinson's ball and expertly chested it down before rifling past Farman with a brilliant finish to round off a man-of-the-match performance.

Matchfacts
Goals: Fisher 21, Rundle 43, Bridge-Wilkinson 56, Hatch 75, Hatch 81
Bookings: Chandler 62, Clark 75
Darlington: Russell, Arnison, Brown, Miller, Burn, Chandler, Bridge-Wilkinson (Main, 95), Verma, G Smith, Senior (Modest, 55), Hatch (Wright, 86).
Unused: St Louis-Hamilton, P Gray.
Gateshead: Farman, Tavernier, Jones, Clark, Liddle, Brittain (Marwood, 85), Turnbull, Gate, Rundle (Nelthorpe, 71), Shaw (Offiong, 73), Fisher.
Unused: Ball, Baxter.
Referee: Carl Boyeson (Hull)
Attendance: 4,243 (1,092 visitors)