AFC Telford United 1 Darlington 1

Platt 56 mins, 0-1, Piggott 90+6 mins 1-1

Telford scored a dramatic stoppage time equaliser to deny Quakers three precious points

Darlington skipper Tom Platt scored in the second half from a corner after Cedric Main had hit the bar with a penalty, then to add to the tension, Main struck a second penalty over the top.

Quakers had to defend valiantly in the closing minutes, and Jack Maskell was shown a red card for a foul.

Then Jordan Piggott scored a late goal which knocked Quakers out of the play off positions.

They are now down to ninth, and need to beat Oxford City this Saturday and hope that two of the clubs immediately above them lose their matches.

Here are the highlights:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAoI0AX5_bQ

Here are Steve's thoughts on the game:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBeSXH0bHSo

After Quakers caused Telford some worries with a long throw by Scott Barrow, Telford’s Ammar Dyer crossed from the right on to the roof of the Darlington net.

Telford nearly opened the scoring on 8 minutes when Dylan Mitchell crossed from the right for Matt Stenson to head just wide of the right hand post.

Quakers then caused concern when Tom Allan and then Will McGowan got round the back of the defence, but they couldn’t find a team mate when they pulled the ball back.

Cedric Main then laid the ball back for McGowan to fire just over the top from the edge of the area

Telford replied with a right foot shot by Leshabela that Watson saved down to his right.

But Quakers nearly scored on 18 minutes, Tom Tweedy crossed from the left for Jack Maskell to head down for Main to have an effort on the turn deflected just over the bar.

Telford had a good chance on 20 minutes when the ball was played through for Dylan Allen-Hedley, but Watson saved well.

Quakers had another chance on 26 minutes. Telford keeper Josh Gracey came well out of his goal to clear the ball under pressure from Maskell, but only played it straight to McGowan, who tried to chip the ball in from 30 yards wih defenders frantically scampering back, but he put the ball over the bar.

The chances kept coming, and Allen-Hadley cut in from the left and curled a right foot shot over the bar, then at the other end Scott Barrow struck a low left foot shot that Gracey saved.

The first half ended evenly poised, and without any real drama.

Half time 0-0

But there was no shortage of drama in the second half

Quakers had make a change soon after the restart when Allan went off injured, and Ethan Fitzhugh replaced him on the left.

The sub nearly scored with his first action when he beat a defender in the box, but a second blocked his shot, and then he crossed from the left for Main to head wide.

Quakers got a penalty on 54 minutes when Main’s cross was blocked by a defender’s arm at close range and the referee pointed to the spot despite Telford protests.

However, Main’s penalty hit the crossbar and bounced down, and a defender cleared. Some nearby players claimed hat the ball had bounced down over he line.

But Quakers scored from the corner, the ball was floated in by McGowan for Platt to glance in to the delight of the travelling fans.

Quakers went in search of a second, and Main set up Fitzhugh, whose shot was deflected off a defender and hit the top of the bar.

Telford tried to hit back, and Watson saved a low shot by Dylan Mitchell.

Quakers got a second penalty on 75 minutes when Main was tripped by Gracey as he latched on to a Tweedy pass, and this time Main put the ball over the bar.

Telford replied with a cross from the left that Stenson headed over the bar, then Quakers threw themselves in the way of two efforts on the edge of the box.

Watson fisted away a corner as Telford threw men forward, but then Quakers had Maskell sent off for a foul on 87 minutes.

It was nail biting stuff as Quakers defended with ten men, and Stenson put a header wide at the far post from a left wing cross.

It looked as if Quakers would hold on, but in the sixth minute of stoppage time, a corner came over from the right, and Jordan Piggott placed the ball into the bottom corner.

Team: Watson, Forbes, Lees, Barrow, Allan (sub Fitzhugh 48), Platt, McLaughlin, Tweedy (sub Hedley 89), McGowan (sub Stanton 89), Main (sub Rutledge 93), Maskell

Subs: Mason, Griffiths,