Darlington Have to Make Do With Point at Burscough
A brace from Darlington skipper Gary Brown wasn’t quite enough to give Quakers three points at Burscough on Saturday. Despite a host of chances, particularly during the second half, Darlington had to make do with a point in a 2-2 draw.
Darlington started well enough with Leon Scott, Terry Galbraith and Adam Mitchell missing chances during the opening 45 minutes. A Brown throw in also saw Alan White go close with his near post header pushed away.
Burscough only had a few chances compared to Darlington but on 41 minutes they had the lead. Mark Beesley picked up possession and saw the ball rebound off a Darlington defender. It broke nicely for the Burscough player to continue forward and sweep the ball past Peter Jameson in the Darlington goal.
Darlington though were quickly level before the restart. Adam Mitchell’s free kick found Brown who headed it across the keeper and into the back of the net.
Darlington picked up where they left off in the second half and carved out more opportunities. It seemed that the three points would be heading back to the North East when Brown bagged his second goal of the day after some superb work by Graeme Armstrong down the left flank.
Nathan Fisher should have made the game safe when Stephen Thompson, who came on as sub for David Dowson, sent him running clear, but Fisher pulled his left foot shot wide although a bobble on the pitch may have made a significant difference.
Quakers couldn’t find the all important third goal and it came back to haunt them when a training ground free-kick move restored parity for the home side. With 15 minutes left a neatly worked move saw the ball chipped into Liam Caddick who poked home.
Quakers forced Burscough back after that. Thompson forced a good save low down by the keeper from a free kick, and agonisingly in stoppage time White struck the post with a diving header from a Thompson cross. Also going close was Brown who saw an effort forced off the line as he hunted down a hat-trick.
Burscough: Horn, Duff, Quirk, Schofield, Ryan Toner, Dunleavy, Pegler, Turner, Beesley, Caddick. Subs not used: Smith, Dykes, L Robinson, Williams, Pye
Darlington: Jameson, Brown, Galbraith, White, Hunter, Portas, Mitchell, Scott (Robinson 57), Dowson (Thompson 60), Armstrong (Hatch 70), Fisher. Subs not used: Walker, Bell.
Goals: Beesley (41, 0-1), Brown (42, 1-1), Brown (55, 2-1), Caddick (75, 2-2).
