Gloucester 2 Darlington 2

Goals:  McClure 48 mins 1-0 Ellis 53 mins, 1-1, Tomlinson 63 mins, 2-1 O'Neill 80 mins 2-2

Quakers came back twice to earn a point at a windswept New Meadow Park.

After creating and missing several good chances in the first half, they fell behind just after half time -- although there was a case for a foul on Danny Rose in the build up -- but that was cancelled out by Danny Ellis' first goal for the club.

Gloucester, on their 3G pitch, went back in front with Quakers claiming a foul on Junior Mondal in the build up, but O'Neill showed great composure to score his second goal for the club in his third spell.

And Quakers thought they'd won it in the very last second, but the referee had already blown his whistle for full time.

The match started with a brisk wind blowing across the pitch in Quakers' favour.

Quakers had a chance on 2 minutes, Will Hatfield played a 1-2 with Jarrett Rivers on the right and from the edge of the box he hit a left foot shot just wide.

Junior Mondal got away down the right hand side and with his left foot crossed into the middle, but the wind carried out the ball out for a goal kick – a clear indication of the conditions facing the players.

But Gloucester got into the box at the other end, and Tommy Taylor did well to quickly dash off his line and save from Matt McClure.

Quakers had a half chance when Ben Hedley made a diagonal run down the right and crossed to Jake Cassidy who headed wide from the edge of the box.

Quakers had a great chance on 15 minutes when Jarrett Rivers found Jack Lambert with a great 30 yard ball forward. Lambert ran into the box, sidestepped a defender but then fired over the top.

Quakers nearly took the lead on 21 minutes. Rivers put Mondal through in the area, but Mondal’s shot was charged down and he squared the loose ball for Jake Cassidy, whose effort was cleared off the line.

Quakers were awarded a free kick for a foul on the halfway line, and so Hedley struck the free kick from there towards goal, and Liam Armstrong held the ball at the second attempt.

At the other end, Tommy Taylor did well to punch away an inswinging corner from the left under his own crossbar.

There was another chance on 37 minutes when Hatfield found Mondal with a great ball down the right, Mondal then set up Lambert, who with the outside of his right foot, curled the ball wide.

Lambert then appeared on the left, cut inside, and fired over from 25 yards.

There was another chance just on half time, when Danny Ellis headed a corner wide.

George Smith finished the half hobbling, and was replaced at the start of teh second half by Alex Storey.

Half time: Gloucester 0 Darlington 0

Quakers nearly took the lead straight after half time, when Lambert set up Hedley, now playing at left back because Smith was injured, to hit a right foot shot just wide of the left hand post.

But Gloucester took the lead on on 48 minutes, when they caught Quakers on the counter attack and Matt McClure hit a left foot shot past Taylor although Quakers claimed there was a foul on Rose in the build up. Rose appeared to have his shirt pulled and lost possession.

It was nearly 2-0 when Tomlinson got round the back of the Darlington defence and set up Hulbert, who sidefooted wide.

But Quakers responded straight away. Lambert crossed for Danny Ellis to have a volley saved by the keeper, and when the corner came in from the right, Ellis headed firmly past Armstrong – his first goal for the club.

But Ellis went off with a head injury straight after, and was replaced by Alex Purver, who went to right back.

Taylor then pulled off a point blank save from Hulbert, who had flicked on a low cross by Hill.

But Gloucester went back in front again on 63 minutes, when Tomlinson found the bottom corner with a left foot shot, but just prior to that, Mondal had gone down holding his face following a challenge.

Manager Alun Armstrong was shown a red card for his protests about the goal.

However, Quakers levelled again on 80 minutes, when Rivers crossed from the right for sub Tyrone O’Neill to control, and fire low past Armstrong forhis second goal since he returned to the club.

The game went end to end after that, and O’Neill almost set up Mondal but a defender got a challenge in, and in stoppage time Ben Nugent headed wide.

Right on full time, the keeper cleared the ball straight at O'Neill and the ball rebounded into goal, but the ref disallowed it, waving Darlington protests away and saying that he had already blown for full time before the ball entered the net.

Final Gloucester 2 Darlington 2

Team: Taylor, Hedley, Ellis (sub Purver 53), Lawlor, Smith (sub Storey 46), Hatfield, Rose, Rivers, Lambert, Mondal, Cassidy (sub O'Neill 76)

Subs: Wheatley, Dos Santos

Booking: Lawlor

Armstrong, Thompson, Gerring (sub Hill 29), Nugent, Hall, O’Sullivan, Barkers, Robert, Tomlinson (sub King 84), McClure (sub Green 69), Hulbert

Subs: Cole, Jeremiah,

Booking: Gerring