IT may not prove to be Darlington’s final fixture at Heritage Park, but Saturday’s thrilling affair with fellow promotion-chasers Fylde deserves to be remembered as a fitting farewell.

Saturday’s 1-1 draw was a terrific match-up between the division’s top two sides, Darlington dominating the second half and unfortunate to not savour a victory which would have ranked alongside their other memorable victories at Bishop Auckland’s home.

Quakers moved to the ground in 2012 at the beginning of a new era when they began at the bottom and have since grown rapidly on and off the pitch.

Blackwell beckons, a homecoming sooner that many had hoped possible, but Heritage Park will be missed, not least because it’s played host to some important victories in 108 matches there.

Wins over Team Northumbria, Spennymoor Town, Bamber Bridge and Blyth Spartans stand among their finest hours in recent years, as does overcoming Salford City eight months ago when Liam Hardy netted an unforgettable late winner in front of a packed Tin Shed.

For a brief couple of seconds on Saturday Darlington thought they had done the same to Fylde too.

Dave Syers’ 88th minute header sparked delirium, the pressure having been building throughout a one-way second half in which Fylde’s full-time players were in survival mode.

But an assistant referee had not read the script. He spotted an offside and raised his flag to disappoint the bulk of the 2,001 attendance – a figure four shy of capacity.

Fans had flocked to the big occasion and Darlington rose to it, atoning for the previous week’s loss at Tamworth.

Martin Gray’s men stay second and four points adrift of their Lancashire opponents, but his team gave a good account of themselves, and fortunate Fylde left knowing they had escaped with a point.

The manager said: “It would’ve been a nice way to end things here at Heritage Park, but the performance was the important thing. We’re disappointed with the result against a really good team.

“Fylde weren’t at their best, but that’s credit to my players because we stopped them playing. We deserved more. They stuck to the task which is a credit to them. I demand an awful lot and when they give me that there’s nothing more rewarding as a manager.

“We did a lot of work for this match, a lot of work. We don’t just turn up at quarter to two and get the blackboard out.

“We started on this on the journey back from Tamworth. We had reports on Fylde, we spoke to other managers and did a lot of work in training and in the classroom with the players.

“Fylde are full-time. They don’t have to finish work and then go into training, they’ve had more time to prepare than us.

“Fair play to all of the staff and the players for taking everything on board.”

The manager changed shape to 4-3-3, matching Fylde’s formation, the tactical switch seeing Syers handed his first start, striker Mark Beck flanked by Josh Gillies and Stephen Thompson, and Gray explained: “If we’d gone 4-4-2 against them we would’ve been beaten.

“Only one team has beaten them this season and that’s Tamworth, who played 4-3-3. I did some homework and knew that if you opened up they would pass the ball around you.”

Syers endured a difficult day, missing three headed chances close to goal. The first came when meeting a Josh Gillies corner during Quakers’ bright start, Stephen Thompson and Kevin Burgess both shooting over while Gillies headed at keeper Rhys Taylor.

By the midway point of the opening half Fylde had made little impact, top scorer Danny Rowe a spectator.

Then he suddenly demonstrated why he’s crucial to the Coasters. After receiving the ball to feet at a throw-in, inside the penalty area he turned sharply past Terry Galbraith and Burgess and drilled the ball home.

Fylde’s 50th league goal of the season was Rowe’s 24th, a tally which illustrates he is playing at a level beneath his capabilities.

“The first 20 minutes were a great, we were dominant and on the front foot,” said Gray. “We had a game-plan to stop them from playing out from the back and I was delighted with the way the lads did that.

“We could’ve been 2-0 up before we conceded.”

Quakers almost conceded again in the 43rd minute from Fylde’s first corner, but Liam Marrs cleared off the line after a scramble, and within 60 seconds it was 1-1.

It was route one stuff. Peter Jameson’s punt was missed by Fylde, and Gillies kept his composure to tuck home his sixth goal for the club.

Gillies’ quick-feet provoked Fylde’s Andy Bond into a dangerous lunge, high and late, early in the second half which merited dismissal, but referee Simeon Lucas waved play on.

Nonetheless, Quakers’ attacker was heavily involved as Darlington pinned Fylde back, but most chances fell to Syers and he had an off day.

He somehow headed over from underneath the crossbar when he got on the end of a Galbraith free-kick, and also headed over after meeting a corner by Galbraith.

Quakers’ momentum built. Nathan Cartman came off the bench and had a shot on the turn saved by Taylor after Darlington’s ninth corner, and with the noise from the Tin Shed growing louder as full-time approached another set-piece a final opportunity.

A free-kick, again taken by Galbraith, found Syers at the far post where he crouched to head home. Darlington’s persistence had been rewarded, but the ‘goal’ was soon chalked off.

“I’ve seen a replay and I’m very disappointed with the decision. It should’ve stood,” groaned Gray.

“The second half performance was very dominant and there was only one team that was going to win the game and that was us.

“I’m delighted with our players and disappointed that we didn’t get the three points as they were well deserved.”

Quakers could yet play at Heritage Park in the FA Trophy a week on Saturday – the draw is today – while there is no guarantee the go-ahead from various bodies will be given to face Salford at Blackwell on December 3.

A return, however, would be an anti-climax after a crunch encounter in front of a near full house, when Darlington more than matched the league leaders.