Darlington 1 Oxford City 1, 

Attendance 1263

Maskell 46 secs, 1-0, Andrews 42 mins, 1-1

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Darlington were held to a draw by a stubborn Oxford City, but at least they stretched their unbeaten league run to five matches.

Jack Maskell scored one of the quickest ever goals at Blackwell Meadows after 46 seconds, but City, who didn’t look like a team in the bottom six ,fought back to equalise.

Quakers took the lead after just 46 seconds. Jack Lambert found Caden Kelly on the left, he hit a left foot shot that the keeper couldn’t hold, and Jack Maskell was on hand to tap in, his third goal of the season.

Oxford tried to respond from a left wing corner that was curled into the six yard box, but Pete Jameson got a firm punch on the ball to clear the danger.

Quakers put together a good attack on 12 minutes, which ended when Cedric Main turned on the corner of the box and tried to curl a left foot shot beyond MacKenzie-Lyle, who held on to his effort.

In Quakers’ next attack Kallum Griffiths set up Jack Lambert, who fired over the bar from just inside the area.

Oxford thought they’d equalised on 20 minutes when Corie Andrews finished off a good move, but he was flagged for offside.

They had a good spell of possession and knocked the ball about well, before Josh Parker fired straight at Jameson from 25 yards out.

Quakers had a goal disallowed on 35 minutes when Griffiths forced a good save out of MacKenzie-Lyle and Lambert put the ball in the net, but he was offside.

Oxford wasted a great chance on 37 minutes when Tom Scott weaved his way through the Darlington defence, but then sidefooted wide.

Quakers responded with a chipped ball forward by Lambert which Main instantly controlled, but his shot was deflected into the side netting.

Quakers went close from the corner, which was floated over by Kelly for Maskell to head powerfully towards goal, but his effort was cleared off the line.

But Oxford levelled on 41 minutes when the ball was crossed from the right for Andrews to head firmly past Jameson

Half time 1-1

Quakers made a sub at half time, Cameron Salkeld coming on for Jack Maskell

They created the first real chance of the second half on 59 minutes when Lambert crossed from the right for Main to backpedal and head just wide.

They nearly broke through on 65 minutes when Will Hatfield charged through from midfield and fired in a powerful shot which MacKenzie-Kyle fumbled, but then gathered before a Darlington player could get to it.

Quakers had a penalty appeal turned down when MacKenzie-Kyle challenged Main on the edge of the six yard box, but the referee waved play on.

After the keeper had treatment for an injury, Hedley curled in a free kick from the left that a defender touched towards his own goal, but MacKenzie-Kyle pushed the ball around the post.

Oxford’s first chance of the second half fell to Jack Ashby, who fired straight at Jameson from the edge of the box.

Another half chance for Quakers fell to Kelly, after Hatfield’s run was stopped, and the Sunderland loanee hit a low shot that the keeper comfortably saved.

Quakers nearly scored on 83 minutes when Toby Lee’s header from a right wing corner was stopped on the line and Main headed the loose ball over the top.

At the other end, Griffiths dispossessed Parker as he was running through.

In the third minute of stoppage time, Hatfield was fouled just outside the box for a free kick, and even though Hatfield’s effort beat the wall, MacKenzie-Kyle held on.

Final score 1-1

Team: Jameson, Griffiths, Forbes, Lees, Hedley, Flint (sub Platt 82), Hatfield, Lambert (sub Cornish 78), Maskell (sub Salkeld 46), Main, Kelly (al Shabeeb 87)

Subs: Rivers

Oxford McKenzie-Lyle, Burley, Ashby, Jones, Coyle, Fleet, Andrews, Parker, Scott, Roddy, Drewe

Subs: Ezzenolim, McEachran, Walsh, Croker, Carbon