DARLINGTON put on a good performance but were not quite able to replay their fans for ensuring today’s game went ahead, twice pegged back by Chorley to draw 2-2.

Around 70 volunteers had spent the morning clearing snow from the Blackwell Meadows pitch, which passed a referee’s inspection at 1pm.

It was a sterling effort by the fans, and a win would have been just reward.

It almost came too, Quakers twice taking the lead, but they were unable to hang on to victory against their promotion-chasing opponents, though have moved up a place to 19th and out of the relegation zone.

Tommy Wright’s side started the game well, forcing four corners inside the first 12 minutes, and then Reece Styche put them ahead.

He fired in his eighth goal in as many games, the in-form striker firing high into the net after a Stephen Thompson pass and celebrated by diving into a pile of snow at the side of the pitch.

The goal was just reward for the bright start, but Chorley soon levelled, Adam Blakeman firing in a low shot from 20 yards beyond the reaches of debutant goalkeeper Aynsley Pears.

Pears, brought in on loan from Middlesbrough, was one of three changed, Luke Trotman and Joe Wheatley both returning while Quakers switched to a 3-5-2 formation.

Soon after the restart Darlington went ahead again, Andy Teague having tripped Wheatley after Trotman’s attack down the right.

With Styche no longer on spot-kick duties following his penalty nightmare against Salford City ten days ago, Thompson made no mistake, smashing home to give Darlington the lead again.

It was a lead they could not increase, however, and for the second weekend in a row they conceded an equaliser.

Seven days ago Alfreton scored an injury time penalty, whereas today Chorley’s goal came in the 75th minute.

After a Trotman clearance had been charged down, Chorley returned the ball into the penalty area and Jason Walker got the final touch.

Chorley finished with ten men after substitute Marcus Carver was red-carded for a second bookable offence, but they almost snatched the points in added time, Pears pulling off a tremendous save to deny O’Keefe.

Goals: Styche (16, 1-0), Blakeman (23, 1-1); Thompson pen (48, 2-1), Walker (75, 2-2)

Bookings: Trotman (36, foul), Styche (43, dissent); Leather (45, foul), O’Keefe (56, foul), Carver (79, foul)

Referee: John Matthews (Stockton)

Attendance: 1,168

Darlington (3-5-2): Pears; Heaton, Brown, Galbraith; Trotman, Turnbull, Scott, Wheatley (Gillies 82), Thompson (Syers 82); Styche, Mills (Saunders 63). Subs not used: Bancroft (gk), Marrs

Chorley (3-5-2): Urwin; Leather, Teague, Jordan; Hughes, O’Keefe, Wilson, Blakeman, Cotterell; Walker, Brewster (Carver 53). Subs not used: Roscoe, Beesley, Whitham, Anson