Darlington held to a 0-0 draw by Nuneaton Town

IT was a case of after the Lord Mayor’s Show for Darlington as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Nuneaton Town.

The game came two days after Thursday’s 2-1 win at Spennymoor Town, and perhaps that showed as Quakers and Nuneaton, teams that went into this match placed 11th and 13th in the table, played out an unremarkable 90 minutes at Blackwell Meadows.

Darlington went into the game on a high following not only Thursday’s result, but a run of eight wins in 12 games, lifting spirits among supporters and the play-offs remained a mathematical possibility.

In fact, at half-time today Chorley, York and Spennymoor were all losing their respective games 1-0, raising the possibility of Darlington being only three points off seventh place by full-time today if they could beat Nuneaton.

But it ended goalless, meaning Quakers are now six points off the play-off places with two games to play.

The first sniff of goal for either team came when Stephen Thompson burst down the right and crossed but Dave Syers volleyed over, and then Nuneaton’s leading scorer Ashley Chambers saw a shot on the turn from distance bounced wide.

Nuneaton showed very little attacking threat on the whole, but they forced another chance when Tom Elliott ran down the left and cut inside before shooting low, Aynsley Pears tipping the effort wide.

Joe Wheatley, still with only one goal this season, was wide with a free-kick which had been won by Syers, before Reece Styche wasted a great chance by his standards.

It came after 18 minutes after left-back Ben O’Hanlon flighted a perfectly-weighted ball in that a Nuneaton defender misjudged, and Styche lined up a volley from around 18 yards but lifted it not only over the bar but over the Tin Shed too.

Darlington certainly had the better of the first-half chances, and another one came when a Thompson run at goal ended with a shot pushed wide by goalkeeper Ross Etheridge, whose poor clearance had been intercepted midway inside Nuneaton’s half by Thompson.

There was no such slip from Quakers keeper Pears, who saved superbly at close-range from Chambers, showing terrific reactions to keep the score at 0-0.

Darlington did have the ball in the net five minutes before the break, but it was ruled offside to little objection from the hosts.

It was a shame the goal was ruled out as Quakers displayed some short passing and teamwork to craft the opportunity, O’Hanlon and Styche combining on the left before Gillies delivered a cross to the near post where Syers volleyed home but the flag was raised.

In first-half added time Styche had a side-footed shot saved by Etheridge Goalscoring opportunities were few and far between in a largely dull second half, both teams toiling on the firm playing surface which is showing signs of wear at the season’s end.

The closest Quakers came to breaking the deadlock was when Wheatley had a shot parried by the keeper, and the loose ball fell to Syers but he was unable to react quickly enough and forced the ball wide with the goal gaping.

There were still 35 minutes to play at this stage, plenty of time for a goal, but neither goalkeeper had a great deal to keep them occupied.

Darlington sent on Tom Portas for Syers, and with 15 minutes to play replaced Thompson with James Caton.

The pacey Harvey Saunders was Quakers’ final sub in the closing stages and in the final minute he was inches away from making an impact, just unable to reach a cross by Styche with the goalkeeper claiming it.

In injury time Caton brought out a super save from Etheridge, the sub cutting inside before blasting at goal, and it proved to be Darlington’s final effort.

Goals: None

Bookings: Chambers (27, handball)

Referee: Paul Brown (Newcastle)

Attendance: 1,409

Darlington (4-2-3-1): Pears; Brown, Heaton, Galbraith, O’Hanlon; Turnbull, Wheatley; Thompson (Caton 75), Syers (Portas 69), Gillies (Saunders 84); Styche. Subs not used: Bancroft (gk), Glover

Nuneaton Town (4-3-1-2): Etheridge; Wildon, Langmead, Johnson, Heaton; Ferry, Daniels, Elliott; Green (Mitchell 59); Nti, Chambers. Subs not used: Lyness, Dielna, Nabi, Wright