DARLINGTON’S play-off push suffered when they threw away victory at struggling Worcester City.

Thanks to Dave Syers they were 1-0 up and heading for back-to-back victories and fifth place due to Halifax and Stockport both drawing.

But in the 85th minute Worcester levelled and then took the lead in injury time.

A defeat would’ve been disaster for Darlington – Worcester had not won any of their previous 14 league fixtures, a run stretching back to November.

But there was still time for teenager Harvey Saunders to become Quakers’ hero, the youngster scoring his first goal for the club after coming off the bench.

With the game taking place three days after Wednesday’s win over Altrincham, Martin Gray had made two changes, recalling Liam Hardy and Josh Gillies.

Hardy was making his first league start since October, and he had the first chance of the game, dribbling from halfway before shooting into the keeper’s arms from 18 yards.

It was a comfortable save for Etan Ross, while at the other end Ed Wilczynski had to be alert to gather the ball at the near post on 16 minutes after Junior English fired the ball in from on the right with Steven Craig ready to pounce.

Craig then spurned a golden opportunity to give Worcester the lead.

He beat Quakers’ offside trap, latching on to a ball played Darlington’s left and had only Wilczynski to beat, but his attempt at bending the ball inside the far post went wide of goal.

It was an escape for Quakers, who had started the game well while kicking downhill on what is a substantial slope at Victoria Ground.

It is home to Bromsgrove Sporting, but Worcester are based there too having sold their former ground for housing in 2013.

Gillies’ first sight of goal came from a free-kick midway through the half, won when Hardy was fouled 20 yards out.

But Gillies’ attempt hit team-mate Mark Beck, who was stood alongside the Worcester wall but inadvertently assisted the hosts.

Towards the end of an otherwise scrappy half, Darlington had a burst of activity inside the final third.

A one-two between Gillies and Chris Hunter saw the full-back burst forward, using his pace to out-run Cieron Keane, and play an inviting ball into the area, but, it somehow evaded Beck, Hardy and Stephen Thompson, the pass threading through a clutch of bodies and evading all three of his team-mates.

There was then a strong penalty appeal, Kevin Burgess bundled over just as he was about to shoot. It belonged to the ‘seen them given’ category, before Thompson rounded the keeper, but took the ball into an acute angle and the resulting shot went over the bar.

Darlington wasted a big chance soon after the restart, one that came following a move that began with a Hunter interception on halfway.

He fed fellow full-back Ferguson overlapping on the left, the defender playing the ball in-field for Thompson who played in Gillies, but he blasted the ball over.

There were also two Quakers corners early in second half, both cleared by Worcester, during a bright start to the second 45 minutes.

Worcester were determined, however, and a block by Burgess kept it at 0-0. Former Hartlepool midfielder Nelson-Addy rolled the ball into penalty area, and Burgess blocked Junior English at close-range.

Gray made two substitutions, sending on Nathan Cartman and Phil Turnbull, and they had Darlington’s next two chances, the latter trying an ambitious shot at goal soon after coming on.

A neat bit of play saw the midfielder, cut inside and fire a shot that was always going well wide.

Cartman was much closer, however, hitting a thunderous volley tipped wide by Ross, and from the resulting corner came Quakers’ opening goal.

Ferguson took it, swinging the ball in to the far post where Dave Syers headed Darlington in front in the 70th minute with his seventh goal for the club.

There was a warning for Quakers when Cieron Keane swung over a free-kick that Jordan Murphy headed wide, not the last time that substitute would be a danger.

Because, with five minutes to go, Worcester were level when Murphy blasted home at close-range.

A cross from the left was not dealt with by Darlington, Chekaine Steele winning a header at the post and enabling Murphy to ram home, ending Quakers’ hopes of a third clean sheet of the season.

It was end-to-end in the closing stages, and Burgess wasted a great chance in the final minute. After a Quakers corner, the ball pinged around Worcester penalty area, Beck teed up Burgess who put everything behind a volley but it went wide from eight yards.

After Brown made an interception, stopping Nelson-Addy pass into English, Worcester stunned Quakers by taking the lead two minutes into stoppage time.

After a mistake in Quakers’ defence, Murphy raced down the left and slid ball under keeper, putting Worcester on the verge of their first win in 15 attempts.

But in a thrilling finish, there was still time for more drama.

Brown swung in a cross from the left, and Saunders was in the right place at the right time to head home a memorable goal for the 19-year-old.

Goals: Syers (70, 0-1); Murphy (85, 1-1), Murphy (90, 2-1); Saunders (90, 2-2)

Bookings: Brown (31, foul); Nelson-Addy (36, foul); Falkingham (45, foul), Burgess (52, foul), Syers (80, foul), Nelson-Addy (80, dissent), Steele (86, dissent); Ferguson (90, foul)

Referee: Joe Hull

Attendance: 589

Worcester City (4-4-2): Ross; Gallinagh, Sharpe, Chambers, Weir (Scrivens 86); Nelson-Addy, J Keane, Jackman (Steele 68), C Keane; Craig (Murphy 59), English. Subs (not used): Vaughan, Birley

Darlington (4-4-2): Wilczynski; Hunter, Brown, Burgess, Ferguson; Thompson (Turnbull 59), Syers, Falkingham, Gillies (Saunders 68); Hardy (Cartman 62), Beck. Subs (not used): Bell (gk), Galbraith