Darlington 2 AFC Telford 2 (5-3 pens) - Report

They departed the FA Trophy in the third round, despite arguably playing better than they did in winning 2-1 on the same ground five weeks earlier in the league.

In the previous round, the Bucks had been near perfect as they brushed aside Coleshill Town 10-1; their performance was excellent but to register such an emphatic victory also meant that just about everything they tried came off, and some small moments of good fortune also went in their favour.

Fast forward just four days and the overall performance was of a high standard, but crucially things didn’t quite fall their way.

The Bucks had almost too many goal attempts to keep track of, but they either missed the target or found home custodian Melvin Minter barring their path.

Both Aaron Williams and Dom McHale registered hat-tricks at Coleshill – in this game, both excelled but saw luck go against them in the crucial moments which, in the end, proved to be the decisive factor.

The Bucks started promisingly, but fell a goal behind to the hosts’ first attack. Minter’s goal-kick skidded off Courtney Meppen-Walters’ head and rebounded off Tyrone O’Neill to Dan Maguire. With the visiting defence wrong-footed, Maguire fed Jarrett Rivers on the right and his shot took a deflection over Russ Griffiths’s right shoulder and into the net.

The Bucks were positive in their response, although Griffiths had to push a free-kick from Tony McMahon wide as the hosts were presented with another good opportunity.

From a free-kick of their own a few minutes later, the Bucks went closer still as Williams received a quickly-taken through-ball from McHale and nudged the ball goalwards, the ball rebounding off the post. James Hardy collected the loose ball and crossed to the far post where Meppen-Walters leant back a little when striking his volley cleanly, his effort clearing the crossbar.

That flurry launched an absolute bombardment from the visitors over the next few minutes – Minter saved Adam Walker’s low shot from 20 yards, then McHale fired a rising angled shot over the bar.

A corner won by the industrious and lively Jordan Davies created the next chance, Meppen-Walters carbon-copy volley kept low this time, but was cleared off the line by Nicky Hunt.

Hardy was next to join the shooting gallery, and when he whipped in a shot Minter pushed his effort on to his left post and out for a corner.

The Bucks were in total control, their hunger to win every loose ball and eagerness to make runs and test the home defence seemingly irresistible.

Davies almost capitalised on indecision in the home defence and McHale had another shot blocked, but as the Bucks’ intensity dropped a little, the Quakers’ Tyrone O’Neill turned well on the edge of the box, but fired his right-foot shot high and wide.

Just as it seemed Darlo would survive until the interval, the Bucks finally got the reward their dominance had warranted – Davies’s injury-time cross from the right was perfect for Williams and the forward headed home decisively from a few yards out.

The Bucks breathed an early sigh of relief in the second half when Erico Sousa’s curling shot from just inside the box struck the outside of the post, the Portuguese player seemingly lacking options and going it alone.

The goal attempts weren’t as plentiful for the Bucks, but they kept arriving and just before the hour McHale rode a challenge in midfield and advanced before seeing his shot rebound off the crossbar from 20 yards out.

McHale then saw a free-kick deflected wide before he earned a deserved penalty kick on 61 minutes.

Collecting Hardy’s pass, the midfielder had a clear sight of goal and was about to strike when Darlo skipper Will Hatfield’s desperate lunge brought him down a yard inside the area. Williams stepped up to take the kick and made a good connection, but Minter guessed correctly and his outstretched arm diverted the ball away to safety.

Darlo manager Alun Armstrong had swapped Sousa and O’Neill for the dangerous Adam Campbell and Omar Holness, and they helped bring the hosts back into the game as it began open up, both substitutes trying their luck with shots from distance.

On 78 minutes, the Bucks went ahead with a terrific goal. Davies was a constant pest for the Darlo defence and when he turned the ball into the centre Williams swivelled and flashed a wonderful first-time effort beyond Minter from around the penalty spot.

With around 15 minutes to negotiate safely, the Bucks were looking good value for their lead. They didn’t sit back on their advantage, but on 84 minutes conceded a free-kick right on the edge of the box as Hatfield was brought crashing down. McMahon looked set to strike the kick before Hatfield stepped forward to thump the ball low, through the wall and through Griffiths to restore parity.

There was still time for chances at either end. Substitute Sean Reid’s angled shot on the run was blocked by the Bucks, then in the 89th minute Davies set Williams up from a similar position to the one he’d scored from, but the striker’s header was misdirected and went agonisingly the wrong side of the post.

The game ended moments later and as the rain that had stayed away all afternoon began to fall, the penalty shootout commenced.

Darlington went first, Williams converted to level at 1-1 and then the pivotal kick arrived; McHale went to Minter’s left as he tried to level Rivers’ successful kick and the keeper palmed his effort away.

James Hardy and Eddie Jones both showed commendable nerve to keep the Bucks in it down to the last round of kicks, but when Darlington’s Nicky Hunt tucked away their fifth kick – Griffiths getting to the ball but unable to keep it out – there was no way back for Telford and no need for their fifth attempt.