Darlington 2, Accrington Stanley 1.

NINE games unbeaten and with just five points to make up on a play-off place, last night's 2-1 win over Accrington Stanley confirmed that Darlington's season is far from over.

First half goals from Tommy Wright and Gregg Blundell ensured victory for Dave Penney's men, who move up to eighth in League Two following Notts County's defeat at Shrewsbury.

This weekend's trip to struggling Torquay could see the gap reduced to two points after many had written off Darlington's season prior to their recent revival.

After controlling the first half, Darlington made hard work of securing the win and Paul Mullins' 49th minute strike ensured a nervy finale.

But Penney's men hung on and will go to Plainmoor on Saturday with the top seven very much in their sights.

"There's still plenty to play for but we've got to play a lot better than that," admitted Penney. "We got two good goals at just the right time. We went in 2-0 up and reasonably happy but we conceded a goal and were on the back foot.

"The third goal was always going to be important and they got it, but fortunately we hung on."

Second half substitutes Martin Smith, Wright and Julian Joachim all combined to earn Darlington a point at Swindon on Saturday.

The trio were rewarded with starts last night as Neil Wainwright, Alun Armstrong and Ricky Ravenhill made way.

Club record signing Joachim should have given Quakers a ninth minute lead.

After Wright's 20-yard effort was only parried by Przemyslaw Kazimierczak, Joachim followed in from three yards only to turn his shot wide.

Quakers were almost made to pay for Joachim's poor finishing when Shaun Whalley fired straight into the arms of Lee Jones from Romauld Boco's pass.

Joachim wasted another good opportunity to score when his tame effort from ten yards was charged down by Robert Williams. The resulting rebound fell to Micky Cummins, whose shot was only half saved by Kazimierczak, before Alan Rogers headed off the line.

However, Darlington's pressure finally paid off moments later. Blundell beat Phil Edwards for pace on the left, before crossing for Wright to volley Quakers into the lead from six yards.

And with the home side in the ascendancy it wasn't long before Darlington doubled their advantage. After coming off the bench to grab the equaliser on Saturday, Smith used his experience to turn provider last night. His half volley from the left fell kindly for Bundell, who beat Williams in the air to head Quakers two up.

Only the bar denied Penney's men a third goal when David Wheater's towering header rebounded off the top of the woodwork, before falling fortuitously for Kazimierczak to collect.

But any thoughts Darlington fans had of a comfortable second half were quickly cut short when Mullins volleyed home Andrew Todd's cross from close range.

Within seconds of replacing Smith, Neil Wainwright's first touch of the ball from a corner found its way to Ian Miller at the near post and the on-loan Ipswich defender directed his header narrowly wide.

Accrington could have been level in the 59th minute when Shaun Whalley burst forward before driving wide of the post.

It wasn't until the 66th minute that Kazimierczak was tested for the first time in the second half as the Polish goalkeeper brilliantly pushed Armstrong's header around the post from Micky Cummins' cross.

Whalley could have completed the comeback for Accrington when his effort was cleared off the line by Wheater, while Todd glanced a header just wide deep in injury time.

* Martin Smith will see a club doctor today after complaining of feeling ill before he was substituted last night. Smith only returned to the side on Saturday after missing three games with a virus.