Darlington 2 Rushall Olympic 2

Cornish 17 mins, 1-0, Williams 21 mins, 1-1, Samuels 48 mins, 1-2, Nelson 90+2

Attendance 1479

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A late goal by sub Andrew Nelson salvaged a point for Quakers against Rushall.

It looked set to be a frustrating afternoon after rushall hit back to lead 2-1, but Quakers' persistence and playing four up front paid off.

Here are the goals: https://darlingtonfc.co.uk/news/goals-from-darlington-v-rushall-olympic

And Steve's post match interview

https://darlingtonfc.co.uk/news/steve-it-was-a-frustrating-afternoon

With Jarrett Rivers playing at left back because of all the injuries, Quakers nearly scored with their first serious attack on 6 minutes. A long ball forward by Scott Barrow was headed away by the Rushall defence only as far as Matty Cornish, who picked the ball up, stepped inside and fired a left foot shot just wide of the post.

Rushall won the first corner on 10 minutes, but Jack Maskell headed the ball away at the near post.

Quakers took the lead on 17 minutes. Caden Kelly picked the ball up on the left, then crossed to the far post where Matty Cornish cleverly squeezed the ball over the outstretched hands of keeper Scott Moloney into the net, his second goal in four days.

But Rushall levelled four minutes later, when the ball was threaded through a hesitant home defence by Alex Fletcher for former Darlington player Theo Williams to control and turn past Pete Jameson.

Quakers tried to respond, a high ball into the box bounced for Jack Maskell, who under pressure, headed into the keeper’s hands.

Kelly then moved in from the left and played a 1-2 with Cedric Main, but he pulled his shot wide.

But Rushall nearly took the lead when Austin Samuels broke into the box on the left, and Jameson blocked his low shot.

Kelly always looked dangerous on the left for Quakers, and again he dribbled past two defenders and fired a in a low shot that Moloney parried.

Quakers were awarded a free kick on the edge of the area just before the break for a foul on Main, but Will Hatfield’s attempt was blocked by the wall

Half time 1-1

Rushall took the lead on 48 minutes. A Darlington attack broke down on the edge of the Rushall area, and the visitors quickly broke up the left and the ball was crossed into the middle for Austin Samuels to sidefoot home.

Quakers tried to respond, but first Hatfield and then Main couldn’t quite create enough space in the Rushall penalty area.

Then Main and Maskell combined well to set up Cornish, who scooped his shot over the bar.

However, it was nearly 3-1 when a corner dropped for Roddy McGlinchey to fire just wide of the right hand post.

Quakers made two subs on 69 minutes, Hazeem Bakre coming on for Cornish, and Ben Andreucci for Hatfield.

Three minutes later, Main was replaced by Andrew Nelson, and was quickly followed by Sam Hetherington coming on for Jarrett Rivers.

Quakers gambled now by putting four strikers up front and they injected some fresh pace into the game, and they nearly levelled with five minutes left when a right wing free kick by Kelly into the box took a deflection and Moloney was forced into a good save.

In the last minute, Maskell headed the ball down in the box for Nelson, who was crowded out, and then Maskell was penalised for a foul on Moloney when the ball went to the far post.

Quakers finally broke through in stoppage time. Bakre found Maskell on the right and he fired the ball over to the far post where Nelson forced the ball over the line.

Final score 2-2

Team: Jameson, Hedley, Lees, Barrow, Rivers (sub Hetherington 75) Flint, Hatfield (sub Andreucci 69), Cornish (sub Bakre 69), Kelly, Maskell, Main (sub Nelson 72).