DARLINGTON were left to rue missing a glut of goalscoring opportunities as they finally got 2016 underway with dispiriting draw against Whitby Town.

In their first match at Heritage Park in 80 days, and their first fixture for three weeks, Quakers were looking to follow the magnificent win at Blyth Spartans last time out three weeks ago.

But they were perhaps a little rusty, allowing their relegation-threatened visitors to leave with a point, thanks to an equaliser by former Darlington midfielder Dale Hopson, thus overshadowing a fantastic goal by Stephen Thompson.

Fourth-bottom Whitby will probably feel worthy of a point having stayed in the contest for so long, but post-match Quakers boss Martin Gray was downbeat, his ire focused on his team’s failings in front of goal.

“It’s two points dropped because over the 90 minutes we had enough chances to win the game,” said Gray, whose team had 20 shots in total, compared to Whitby’s seven.

“We should’ve put the game to bed and made it 3-1 or 4-1. We had great chances, real goalscoring opportunities.

“The longer the game went on, Whitby were always capable of getting themselves back into the game.

“We hadn’t played for three weeks. You can train and play as many friendly matches as you want, but it’s not the same as proper matches, so hopefully tonight’s match will benefit us come Saturday.”

On Thompson’s goal, Gray said: “It’s alright scoring good goals, but there was some bad defending as well and it’s about what you do in both boxes.”

There was certainly bad defending in the sixth minute, when Whitby took the lead from a corner.

Taken by former Quakers midfielder Hopson, striker Matthew Waters rose highest to take advantage of slack marking to power home a header on six minutes.

Gray said: “He out-jumped our player, it’s a free header, it shouldn’t happen. We talked about it at half-time, but I don’t think they had a set-piece in the second half.”

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Within 120 seconds, however, Lee Gaskell almost equalised with a lob, however goalkeeper Shane Bland recovered, but a brilliant strike by Thompson soon restored parity.

It was Darlington’s first goal this year, and they would do well to score a better one in the remainder months of 2016.

Terry Galbraith free-kick’s near the corner flag, after Jamie Poole tripped Nathan Cartman, was headed clear to the edge of the penalty area where Thompson speared a volley into the net.

It was the type of spectacular finish he was responsible for more regularly earlier in his Quakers career, though it was not long before the play-maker scuffed one wide from outside the penalty area.

He had a lively night, responsible for many of Darlington’s shots at goal. The next one too close to Bland after right-back Chris Hunter fed the ball to Nathan Cartman who played in Thompson, but the resulting shot was a disappointment.

Bland was much more active than opposite number Peter Jameson. He had to get down low to collect a Galbraith effort after he jinked his way through the Whitby midfield, though full-back scored his second goal of the season moments later.

His looping header went into the top corner after meeting a Hunter cross, giving Darlington a deserved 2-1 lead.

They were in the ascendancy, putting Whitby under pressure and it was soon almost 3-1. A Galbraith corner led to goalmouth scramble, ending when Thompson poked wide.

Soon after half-time the out-of-sorts Nathan Cartman was replaced by ex-Whitby striker Graeme Armstrong, who was swiftly involved in a series of short passes that led to a Thompson shot that had some in the ground cheering.

The shot was wide, however, despite appearing to nestle in the back of the net, and then Gaskell was responsible for a remarkable miss.

Following promising build-up, Armstrong played a sideways pass to Gaskell, but he was off balance, and fell over with the goal at his mercy.

Darlington lost their way a little in the second half, but not before Bland tipped an inswinging Thompson corner over the bar, so it was not a huge surprise when Whitby levelled.

Hopson, Whitby’s captain, was given his senior debut by Craig Liddle in 2011 after coming through the youth ranks at The Northern Echo Arena, and he side-footed home from 20 yards after the ball was played back to him following an attack up the right.

Eschewing the modern trend for not celebrating goals against former clubs, Hopson raced away and was justifiably delighted with what was a fine finish.

Again, the defending was weak, however, and Quakers had Jameson to thank for a point as he saved when sub striker Jordan Jewson, on loan from Hartlepool United, was one on one.

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