Darlington 1 Leamington 1

Nicholson 43 mins 1-0, Bishop 78 1-1

Attendance 1145

Tommy Wright's last game in charge as Darlington manager saw his side held at home by Leamington.

Quakers created plenty of chances, but as so often has been the case this season, they couldn't take them.

There was a chance for Leamington in the first minute, when a back pass by Ben Jackson was picked up by Colby Bishop, but Jake Turner was quickly off his line to block his shot just inside the box.

Quakers went close on 15 minutes, when Stephen Thompson and Tom Elliott combined well and set up Jordan Nicholson, whose left foot shot went just past the right hand post.

Quakers had another good chance on 17 minutes when Thompson dispossessed a defender and found Luke Trotman in the box, but Trotman, who has yet to score for the club, fired into the side netting.

Another came on 23 minutes when Saunders made progress down the right and pulled the ball back for Thompson to volley into the keeper’s hands.

The best chance so far came on 36 minutes when Thompson threaded the ball through to Saunders, whose shot was well charged down by Breeden, who had come quickly off his line.

Quakers took the lead on 43 minutes when Thompson got away down the right as Leamington dallied, and he pulled the ball back to Nicholson, who took a touch and then beat Breeden with a low shot into the bottom right hand corner for his 11^th goal of the season.

Leamington had a chance at the start of the second half when Connor Taylor crossed from the left for Bishop to head into Turner’s hands.

Quakers then had to take off Terry Galbraith because of injury, and he received a warm ovation as he left the field, to be replaced by Kit Elliott. Luje Trotman moved across to centre half, with Tom Elliott dropping deeper.

They had another when the ball was played into the Darlington box, and with the Darlington defence waiting in vain for an offside, the ball ran for Bishop, whose effort was well blocked by Turner.

However, it was nearly 2-0 when Nicholson found Thompson on the right, and his powerful right foot shot was beaten away by Breeden.

And the keeper did the same again with a left foot shot by Nicholson from the edge of the box.

Breeden pulled off another good save on 72 minutes when Jackson crossed from the left to the far post for Thompson, sliding in, to have an effort blocked by the outstretched foot of the keeper.

And from the corner, Nicholson hit another left foot shot that Breedon held on to.

Leamington replied with a right foot shot by Hodge that Turner saved low down.

But Leamington levelled on 78 minutes when a good break from the half way line saw Hodge slide the ball across goal for Bishop to sidefoot home at the far post.

Final score:

Darlington 1 Leamington 1

Turner, Trotman, Jackson, Holness, Ainge, Galbraith (sub K Elliott 48), T Elliott, Wheatley (sub Stansfield 88), Saunders (sub Lingthep 90+1), Nicholson, Thompson

Subs: Stansfield, Hall, Lingthep, Morrison

Leamington:

Breeden, English, Hood (sub Flanagan 66), Clarke, Mace, Lane, Murphy, Wilding, Bishop, Edwards, Taylor (sub Hodge 67)

Subs: Parker, Obeng,

Booking: Clarke