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Match report

Darlington  2 Hereford 2

Goals: Owen-Evans (15 mins, 0-1, 49 mins, 0-2)) Syers (52 mins, 1-2), Nicholson 83 2-2

Attendance 1427

Quakers came back from two goals down to earn a point to stretch the unbeaten run to six matches, but this was a case of two points lost in a second half fightback.

Quakers created several good chances in the game, but their finishing let them down. However, there were no doubts about the quality of the finishes from David Syers and Jordan Nicholson, who is now the joint top scorer for the club with 5.

Hereford got the first corner on 6 minutes following a good run by Thomas, but Quakers comfortably got the ball away.

First real chance to Quakers came on 7 minutes when David Syers helped on a goal kick by Zach Hemming for Harvey Saunders to head down for Nicholson to fire in a left foot shot that Yates saved at the foot of his post.

But Hereford had a chance at the other end when Quakers lost possession near the corner flag, and when Symons drove the ball into the box, Hughes did well to get it away.

Quakers forced two corners inside a minute on 13 minutes, the second from which Liam Hughes couldn’t direct a header on target.

Hereford took the lead on 15 minutes, when Tom Owen-Evans picked the ball up on the halfway line, made ground and hit a low left foot shot from 25 yards that beat Hemming at his left hand post.

Quakers nearly levelled on 25 minutes when Joe Wheatley whipped a free kick in from the left over to the far post, and Hughes nearly managed to head in.

Quakers had another chance on 27 minutes, Syers had a shot charged down and Nicholson pounced with a left foot shot that Yates pushed around the post.

Quakers were coming more into it, and Elliott struck a 30 yarder that Yates held on to in the Hereford goal.

But at the other end, Billy Murphy tried a shot from 30 yards that was deflected by Symons just over the bar.

Approaching half time, Saunders had a shot on the turn deflected wide as Hereford packed their defence, then Luke Trotman played an excellent ball across the box to find Ben O’Hanlon unmarked, but he fired over the top from a good position.

Half time

Darlington 0 Hereford 1

Quakers were caught napping four minutes after half time. Substitute Finn got in behind the back of the Darlington defence, and rolled the ball back for Owen-Evans to sidefoot home his second of the game.

But Quakers pulled a goal back when Saunders found Syers with a through ball, and he beat Yates with a right foot shot across the keeper.

Thompson then nearly equalised with a right foot shot that Yates palmed around the post, then Saunders had a goal disallowed after the ref said that Yates was fouled as he went for a right wing cross.

The keeper then came off his line to save at Nicholson’s feet as the striker threatened to break through.

Quakers hit the bar on 65 minutes. Thomas was booked for pulling down Saunders out on the left, and Wheatley curled the free kick over the keeper but against the bar.

They went close again on 69 minutes, a corner from Wheatley went to the far side of the 6 yard box and Hughes’ header was saved on the line by Yates.

The keeper pulled off another good stop on 73 minutes, when Nicholson ran into the box and hit a left foot shot that the keeper saved low down.

Quakers levelled on 83 minutes, when Syers laid the ball off, and Nicholson pounced and fired first time into the corner of the net for his fifth of the season.

And with three minutes left, Thompson teasingly crossed from the left and Ainge headed wide from just a few yards.

Final score Darlington 2 Hereford 2

attendance 1427

Darlington: Hemming, Trotman, O’Hanlon, Elliott, Hughes, Galbraith, Nicholson, Wheatley, Saunders (sub Ainge 73), Syers, Thompson (c)

Subs: Glover, Maddison, Henshall, Burn

Booking: Thompson

Hereford: Yates, Thomas, Greenslade, McGrath, Cullinane-Liburd, Smith (c), Murphy (sub O'Sullivan 58), Owen-Evans, Roberts, Lloyd (sub Finn 31), Symons

Subs: Green, Richards, Horsell

Bookings: Thomas, Roberts, Lloyd, O'Sullivan