AFC Telford 0 Darlington 0 - Report and pictures

The Bucks, fresh off the back of a win at Alfreton, should have made it back to back victories.

Chances came and went for them throughout the game, and a foul on Kane Richards in the box 15 minutes from time went unpunished, to complete a frustrating afternoon for Rob Edwards and his side.

The point leaves the Bucks still in the drop zone, but it could be a valuable one come the end of the season.

Edwards described Tuesday night's performance at Alfreton as the best of the season, and he rewarded his troops who performed so well by starting with the same eleven.

The only change to the squad saw Wolves loanee Ryan Giles, signed on Saturday morning, replacing John McAtee on the bench.

Both sides were pushing and probing in the opening ten minutes, but conceding possession in the latter halves of the pitch.

The first golden chance fell the Bucks way on 13 minutes, and it almost came from an unlikely source.

Ellis Deeney's free kick from the left bounced in the six yard box, before goalkeeper Aynsley Pears threw himself in front of Dom Smith's goal bound effort.

For a side who came into the game on the back of a run that has seen them lose just one in 10, Darlington looked devoid of ideas going forward in the opening half hour.

Their only chance of note fell to Stephen Thompson, the former Bucks midfielder, whose shot was blocked by skipper Shane Sutton in the box.

Much like Tuesday night, Telford were trying to get their passing game going in an attempt to carve open the Quakers.

However the bobbly surface was proving a big problem, with passes going astray in the final third.

Elliot Newby lashed over from a Sutton knock down, before Deeney went within inches of a spectacular opener on the half hour mark.

Marcus Dinanga found him on the edge of the box, and the former Tamworth man curled a shot that flew narrowly wide of Pears' post.

Henry Cowans flashed a header wide of the mark, before Jordan Lussey saw a low curling effort beat the post, as the Bucks were beginning to build up ahead of steam before the break.

Sutton saw a header from a corner easily saved, but the hosts couldn't edge themselves in front at half time.

A response was to be expected from the in form Quakers at the start of the second period, but again it was the Bucks on the front foot.

Cowans had a free kick blocked, with Deeney volleying wide as Edwards' men desperately tried to find that elusive opener.

Referee Alex Kirkley's display was increasingly being called into question by the vocal 1,000 plus Bucks fans in the ground.

Richards, who was again leading the line well alongside Dinanga, went sprawling on the edge of the box but nothing was given.

The Bucks were on top but 15 minutes from time they almost gifted Darlington an unlikely opener.

Ross White conceded possession and Harvey Saunders was bearing down on goal, but keeper Ben Wilson, seldom troubled all afternoon, came racing out to lash clear.

Moments later the irritated Bucks fans were again up in arms, when referee Kirkley turned down what looked like a stonewall penalty.

Richards out muscled Josh Heaton and as he went to shoot he was taken down, but both the referee and linesman waved away the claims.

Edwards threw on John Marsden and new signing Giles in a bid to break the deadlock, and the new boy almost got his head on a Newby cross moments after coming on.

Seconds later Richards should have scored from five yards, but he failed to get a toe on another Newby cross.

The longer it remained level, the more it felt like the lackluster Quakers could produce one moment to win the game.

And with the last kick of the game they almost completed a smash and grab, but Joe Wheatley's free kick beat Wilson, and luckily for the Bucks, also beat the post.

Teams

AFC Telford United (4-4-2) - Wilson, White, Harris, Smith,Sutton, Deeney, Lussey (Giles 83), Cowans, Richards (Murphy 90), Dinanga (Marsden 79), Newby

Subs not used - Johnson, Singh, Murphy

Darlington - (4-4-2) Pears, Trotman, O'Hanlon, Turnbull, Heaton, Galbraith, Gillies, Wheatley, Styche (Saunders 46), Caton (Scott 66), Thomson

Subs not used - Bancroft, Glover, Vaulks

Referee - Alex Kirkley

Attendance - 1,318