Darlington 1 Chorley 1: Magpies earn point thanks to Hall's header
Chorley battled hard to come from a goal behind to claim a point at Darlington on Tuesday evening thanks to Kole Hall's sixth goal of the season.
The Magpies started the game brightly, Warren Clarke heading an effort narrowly wide, before Adam Blakeman found Kristi Montgomery from Chorley's first corner but he failed to hit the target.
Against the run of play, Darlington hit the front on 13 minutes, Caden Kelly firing in a fantastic free-kick from more than 30 yards, the ball swirling and proving deceiving to a helpless Matt Urwin in goal.
From there, chances were few and far between for both sides for a sustained spell as the surface was tricky for both teams to get the ball down and to play on.
Chorley began to knock on the door and eventually were rewarded for their efforts after 31 minutes, Hall heading in his sixth goal of the season thanks to a fantastic cross from Billy Whitehouse, Hall's powerful effort leaving Peter Jameson to pick the ball out of his net.
Both teams resumed after the restart with an added impetus in attack, Kelly first off again seeing a free-kick go a whisker wide as he looked to replicate his first-half effort.
Mike Calveley then went close for Chorley, heading just over from a corner, before another dry spell in front of goal continued for both sides, although play continued at a high tempo.
Blakeman had two half-chances to win it at the death, the first a free-kick expertly tipped over by Jameson, before a long-range effort sailed a whisker wide to see both sides take a share of the spoils on the night.
Chorley: Urwin, Moore (Henley 79), Leckie, Wilson, Blakeman, Whitehouse (Horbury 69), Clarke, Calveley, Montgomery, Hall, Carr (Touray 82). Subs (not used): McGhee, Nolan.