Moors and Darlington shared the points for a fourth successive time as Jordan Thewlis’ goal was cancelled out by Mark Beck at The Brewery Field.

Thewlis’ third strike of the season looked to have set Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley’s men on the path to victory on the hour, but Beck hit back ten minutes later and that’s how it stayed.

There was a fast start for Moors as the first chance arrived inside three minutes when Jude Oyibo got in behind to beat Tommy Taylor to a through ball, but the keeper did just enough to thwart him on the edge of the box.

A minute later Oyibo got another sight of goal after good work from Rob Ramshaw but this time his shot was deflected wide of the post as Moors put their visitors under pressure from the off.

Glen Taylor came close to opening his account for the season when Joe Tait did well to nod a deep corner back across goal, but the Moors front man could only head an effort over the bar.

Darlington showed their threat when left-back Ben Hedley came inside to float a cross to the far post where danger man Mark Beck could only send his header into the side netting.

Beck was at it again just after the half hour when a deep cross found the front man and this time his downward header needed a strong hand from Max Metcalfe to keep the ball out of the net.

The Quakers were threatening to get on top and could have gone in front when Jack Lambert drifted inside from the left before curling a shot just wide of the far post.

Moors responded when Taylor’s thunderous free-kick was well parried by keeper Taylor before Taylor then linked-up well with Oyibo whose first shot was saved and his second was deflected wide.

The home side began the second half on the front foot too and Ramshaw almost found the breakthrough when he turned smartly at the front post to draw another fine save from Taylor.

However, the Darlington keeper had no chance on 59 minutes when Moors took the lead. Oyibo did well to provide Taylor with the chance to shoot and, when his effort bounced back off the post, Thewlis was there to seize on the loose ball to fire home.

The Quakers responded positively to the setback though and came back at Moors, getting some joy on 70 minutes when Beck’s first shot was brilliantly blocked by James Curtis, only for the Darlington striker to hammer home the rebound.

Three minutes later, Moors almost went back ahead. Duxbury produced a slaloming run into the box and powered a shot on goal which Taylor did superbly to fingertip over the bar.

From the resultant corner, Darlington struggled to clear, and the ball fell loose to Glen Taylor but this time the striker’s effort was blocked by a recovering defender.

With ten minutes remaining substitute Charlie Watt fed Jamie Chandler on the right of the area and the midfielder unselfishly tried to square the ball for Taylor only for a Darlington defender to get in the way again.

The game ended in scruffy fashion when Bernard Morley and Alun Armstrong were both shown red cards following a melee in front of the dugouts.

Full Time: Moors 1 Darlington 1

Moors: Metcalfe, Cousin-Dawson, Tait, Curtis, Duxbury, Wheatley (Greenfield 56), Ramshaw, Chandler, Oyibo (Preston 78), Thewlis (Watt 78), Taylor.
Subs not used: Lufudu, Ledger.

Booked: Wheatley (20).

Darlington: Taylor, Sukar, Lawlor, Hedley, Moke, Liddle (Maddison 75), Lambert, Beck, Purver (Hazel 63), Griffiths, Felix (Mondal 63).
Subs not used: Rivers, Emery.

Referee: James Westgate

Attendance: 1,736 (395 Darlington)