Quakers waste chances and have to settle for a draw

By Ray Simpson

Quakers waste chances and have to settle for a draw

North Ferriby United 1 Darlington 1Quakers came away from Ferriby wondering how they hadn't won.Quak...

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North Ferriby United 1 Darlington 1

Quakers came away from Ferriby wondering how they hadn't won.

Quakers created a hat ful of chances, but only took one of them, as they wasted several good opportunities in front of goal, while Ferriby keeper Ross Durrant pulled off four good saves.

But everyone from Darlo agreed that the game should have been won in the first half.

Quakers built up well on the right in the first minute, and James Caton set up Phil Turnbull, who crossed into the middle towards Stephen Thompson, and a defender just managed to touch the ball away.

And Quakers had their first attempt at goal when Mark Beck laid the ball off for Caton, who fired over from 25 yards.

Quakers had a great chance on 7 minutes when Ferguson crossed well from the left, and Beck headed just wide of the far post.

Quakers make two changes to the team that lost 1-0 to Telford last week.

In come keeper Ed Wilczynski and midfielder Tom Portas, who is playing his first game in ten months. Joe Wheatley and Mark Bell are on the bench for the first time this season.

Quakers took the lead on 9 minutes when Phil Turnbull cleverly split the defence for Josh Gillies to control on his left foot, switch to his right, and then slot into the bottom corner, his fourth goal of the season.

Ferriby were forced into a change on 15 minutes when midfielder Russell Fry went off injured and was replaced by Ross Barrows.

It was nearly 2-0 when Stephen Thompson crossed from the right into the box for Mark Beck to head goalwards, but Durrant pulled off a good one handed save, and Caton couldn’t reach the rebound.

But Ferriby nearly levelled when Quakers didn’t clear a long throw from the right, and Bobby Johnson fired just wide of the left hand post.

Quakers should have gone 2-0 up when Beck nodded down a right wing cross for Caton, who pulled his shot side from ten yards.

Gillies nearly scored his second of the game on the half hour. Beck was pushed in the back 25 yards out, and Gillies curled the free kick over the wall, but inches wide of the left hand post.

But at the other end Akeel Francis found space and hit a right foot shot that flew just wide.

Quakers then lost Chris Hunter because of injury -- he seemed to twist awkwardly when he was challenged by Francis and was taken to hospital -- and Liam Marrs replaced him.

Half time

North Ferriby 0 Darlington 1

Quakers conceded an equaliser on 51 minutes. Ed Wilczynski’s clearance from a back pass went straight to Curtis Bateson, who fired the return ball straight into the bottom corner.

Quakers nearly regained the lead when Ferguson cut in from the left, played a 1-2 and hit a right foot shot that the keeper parried, and the keeper recovered and blocked the follow up from Caton.

And the same happened to Caton when he cut in from the right, played a 1-2 with Portas, but fired over.

Sub Joe Wheatley then made a great run to take him into the box, played a 1-2 with Beck, and the keeper made a great save from his low shot at the foot of the post.

Another chance came long when Gillies chipped the ball into the box for Beck, who turned quickly and blasted towards goal, but Skelton deflected the ball over the top.

And from the corner, Collins headed the ball towards the bottom corner but somehow Durrant saved it.

Final score

North Ferriby 1 Darlington 1

Darlington: Wilczynski, Hunter (sub Marrs 38) , Collins, Galbraith, Ferguson; Thompson (sub Wheatley 69), Turnbull, Portas, Gillies; Beck, Caton (sub Saunders 76)

Subs: Fenwick, Bell, Saunders

North Ferriby:

Durrant, Cooke, Dixon, Johnson, Skelton, Picton, Russell, Fry (sub Barrows 15), Francis, Ambalu (sub Hutchinson 76), Pugh (sub Bateson 46)

Subs: Gray, Rzonca