Chorley have to settle for a point against Darlington

But experienced striker Mark Beck struck a sublime equaliser to ensure parity for his side at the end of an energy-sapping battle in the blazing sunshine.

The visitors looked impressive from the off and Jacob Hazel had a clear chance to give them an early lead but put too much power into his lob over the advancing Matt Urwin and the ball cleared the bar.

The Magpies gradually found their stride and came closest to scoring when the Quakers’ skipper David Wheater was perfectly positioned to head off the line a powerful Adam Blakeman shot destined for the top corner.

Despite Darlington’s ever-present threat going forward, it was Chorley who fired the most shots in the first half, Ollie Shenton flashing a 25-yards’ drive just over the bar and Blakeman seeing keeper Tom Taylor dive to smother another well-placed effort.

The game became more stretched after the interval as the heat increasingly took its toll but it was Chorley who struck the first blow on the hour.

Willem Tomlinson released Connor Hall with a perfectly-weighted through-ball and though after a forty-yards’ dash the striker saw Taylor parry his shot he regained possession of the loose ball to tap it into the empty net.

That goal for a lengthy period looked potentially decisive and might well have proved so, had not the influential Tomlinson needed to be substituted with 20 minutes to play.

Darlington began to enjoy the greater share of possession but the home defence held firm until with five minutes to go Beck seized on a loose ball just outside the Magpies’ penalty area and promptly dispatched an unstoppable shot into the corner of the net.

After that it was more a case of whether Chorley could hold on rather than regain the lead but in the end a share of the spoils was the right outcome to a very demanding afternoon’s work for both teams.

CHORLEY: Urwin, Challoner, Wilson, Leather, Blakeman, Whitehouse, Calveley, Tomlinson (Nolan 69), Shenton, Ustabasi, Hall (Scarborough 74). Subs (not used): Smith, Johnson, Schorah.Attendance: 1,246.