Darlington’s automatic promotion hopes are now out of their own hands after they were held to a goalless draw at the Giant Axe.

Quakers need to win their last two games and hope that Salford slip up in order to win the title, but it is looking more likely that there will be a play off game between Quakers and Spennymoor.

Quakers started on top. Graeme Armstrong was unlucky with an attempted lob from 25 yards that Lancaster keeper Mike Hale just managed to hold on, then Gary Brown blazed a left foot shot wide.

Quakers had another half chance on 17 minutes when Armstrong laid the ball off for Thompson on the edge of the box, but Thompson pulled his right foot shot wide.

Lancaster had their first chance on 25 minutes when Ryan Winder made a good run to the edge of the Darlington box, and forced Jameson into a low save down to his left.

But then Quakers had two chances. Alan White put a stooping header over the bar after Adam Mitchell’s corner had gone across the six yard box, then David Dowson ran though on the left but knocked the ball wide of the far post.

Lancaster nearly stunned Quakers when a free kick was half cleared to Winder who hit a snap shot from the edge of the box that flew just wide.

Quakers nearly scored two minutes after the restart, when a long throw dropped for Stephen Thompson, and his first time volley was blocked by the outstretched foot of Hale.

After MG made two substitutions, Quakers had another chance on 57 minutes when Tom Portas burst through the middle but his shot was blocked by the keeper.

Lancaster though went up the other end, and Winder fired just wide as the tension mounted.

Quakers had another chance on 70 minutes. Sub Liam Hatch did well to keep the ball in on the right and pulled it back into the middle for Nathan Cartman to try an overhead kick that Hale saved.

Another came on 79 minutes, this time Scott squared the ball on the edge of the box for Galbraith to hit a left foot shot that Hale pushed around the post.

With two minutes left, White headed an inswinging Galbraith corner over the top.

Quakers were reduced to ten men in stoppage time when keeper Peter Jameson pulled down Lancaster sub Tom Woods just outside the area and was red carded. Garry Hunter fired the free kick towards the top corner, but replacement keeper Gary Brown pushed the ball superbly over the bar.

Brown then popped up at the other end for a late corner which Galbraith forced home, but it was disallowed for offside.

[caption id="attachment_11573" align="alignnone" width="300"] Gary Brown in goal[/caption]

Teams:

Darlington: Jameson, Brown, White, Hunter (sub Watson 75), Galbraith, Portas, Thompson, Scott, Armstrong (Sub Cartman 53), Dowson (sub Hatch 53), Mitchell

Subs not used: Mota, Bell.

Referee: M Hughes