MACCLESFIELD secured yet another draw in a thrilling game at high-flying Darlington.
Martin Gritton replaced the suspended Gareth Evans in an otherwise unchanged side from the starting team that won at Peterborough.
Macc had two opportunties to score in the opening exchanges. Neil Ashton was off-target from 30 yards and Terry Dunfield latched onto Gritton’s flick and was denied by a good block from Quakers keeper David Stockdale.
However, Darlington took the lead in the 10th minute through Tommy Wright, who ghosted in at the near post to head home Clark Keltie’s corner.
The Silkmen were fortunate not to concede a penalty shortly afterwards. Sean Hessey felled Wright but referee Dean Whitestone waved away the hosts’ calls for a spot-kick.
Moments later, Gregg Blundell had the ball in the net but the referee had already stopped play for Wright’s foul on Jonny Brain as he went to collect Julian Joachim’s cross.
Gritton almost equalised midway through the half. Ashton sent Michael Symes free down the left flank and he put a fine ball across the face of goal. Gritton miscued his connection and the ball was sent agonisingly wide from well inside the six-yard box.
Ritchie Foran and Wright each had chances from set-pieces but while the former was offline with his header, Brain pulled off an excellent save to keep out Wright’s header.
Symes and Gritton both had shots that Stockdale was happy to watch go well wide and the hosts went into the break one goal up.
Midfielder James Ashmore was unlucky with a volleyed effort in the first minute of the second half, and Carl Regan got in on the act when he ran onto Izak Reid’s chip, but he was also wide of the mark with his shot.
Gritton levelled matters just before the hour mark. A long ball was collected by the Scot, who turned his defender before calmly slotting the ball past Stockdale.
After Danny Thomas’ fierce shot brought a great save out of Stockdale, Macc took the lead. Ryan Cresswell, who was assured and composed at the back, rose highest at a Dunfield corner to power a header into the Quakers’ goal.
However, Cresswell turned from hero to villain 20 minutes from time when Paul Mayo’s long throw-in allowed Darlo skipper Alan White to cause havoc at the back and the Sheffield United loanee inadvertently headed past the stranded Brain.
Brian pulled out a fine double save to deny Joachim and Wright and, although Darlington looked the more likely to get the late breakthrough, Izak Reid had two pot-shots at goal, both flying over the bar.
A hugely entertaining game ended with a point each and, but for Cresswell’s only error of the game, it could have been much more.
