FEW managers could raise a smile if they'd conceded a controversial late equaliser before being banished to the stands but, given the manner in which Darlington secured a point at the weekend, David Hodgson had little to be despondent about.

On making the short trip up the steps of the Sixfields Stadium stand to talk to the waiting press, Hodgson was unequivocally calm, considering recent events.

But having claimed a point against a rampant Cobblers side - who dominated from start to finish - Hodgson was prepared to cut his team some slack, despite substitute David Galbraith's 87th minute leveller.

It's safe to say that Quakers will come across few better League Two sides this season than Northampton, who attacked with pace, precision and fluency - despite the omission of unfit wingers Martin Smith and Josh Low.

Even when Hodgson sits down with his squad this morning, he will still ponder on whether it was two points lost or one gained at the weekend.

Either way, an impressive result for Hodgson, whose players are showing all the hallmarks of a side which is ready to roll up its sleeves and do battle among the League Two promotion pack.

He said: "Playing away to Northampton any sensible person would be happy to come away with a point.

"If someone was to ask: 'You're going away to play Northampton, we'll give you a point now, do you want to save £2,000 on expenses?' I would take it.

"We've got the point but I'm really disappointed we didn't get the three - it took a wonder goal to beat Sam Russell.

"I've got to be happy with a point, but try telling that to those lads in the dressing room."

Hodgson now faces a touchline ban after he was sent off; not for the first time in his managerial career.

The Quakers boss was ordered to the stands after contesting a decision, which led to Northampton's equaliser. Hodgson was handed a 42-day touchline ban when he was dismissed at Lincoln in 2000. Last season, he appealed successfully after being sent off at Swansea.

"The referee came across to me in the first half and apologised after he admitted he made the wrong decision when Brian Close was brought down," said Hodgson.

"When I pointed at him for the second decision, without saying a word, he came over and told me that pointing was a public gesture, so he sent me to the stand.

"It's a decision which has been made and I have to accept it."

A win for sixth-placed Quakers - who started and ended the day one place below Northampton - would have provided breathing space ahead of the three clubs below them - each with a game in hand.

Even though a truly entertaining League Two encounter finished with spoils shared, the game was effectively won and dramatically snatched from the visitors in midfield.

"It was the kind of day where we didn't seem to get hold of the game in midfield," said Hodgson. "We gave it away too much and allowed them to get on top of us."

Quakers couldn't have made a better start with the second goal in as many games for Adolfo Gregorio.

Chasing what looked like a lost cause, striker Clyde Wijnhard managed to disposess Tommy Jaszczun on the by-line, before pulling back for Gregorio, who neatly tucked the ball past Lee Harper.

While Ade Akinbiyi has been regarded as a poor man's Emile Heskey, Trevor Benjamin is a poor man's Akinbiyi, and it was he who headed straight into the arms of Sam Russell from Eric Sabin's cross in the 11th minute.

The threat of Sabin - hovering in and out of a Northampton front three - was quickly addressed by Hodgson as Quakers switched from a 3-5-2 to a 4-4-2 with as little as 17 minutes played.

And after David Rowson launched a ferocious free-kick inches over the cross-bar, Russell was forced to push away Sabin's header from Charley Hearn's corner in the 23rd minute.

Despite the return of skipper Neil Maddison, Quakers were never at the races in midfield, with Rowson and Lee Williamson running amok.

Scott McGleish fired over after a steady build-up in the 33rd minute, before the striker saw another effort superbly blocked by Matt Clarke.

Despite Northampton's dominance, a resolute Quakers back-four ensured their one-goal lead was preserved at the interval.

Had Gregorio been quicker to react, the American may have been claiming his second goal of the afternoon when Harper spilled Neil Wainwright's cross early in the second half.

And after Clarke turned Benjamin's near-post effort into the side-netting, McGleish then sent a weak shot at Russell. The Darlington keeper was then brave to save at the feet of Benjamin in the 79th minute, as home fans resigned themselves to their second home defeat of the season.

But after the Cobblers forced a dubious corner with three minutes to go, the resultant set-piece eventually fell to Galbraith, who steered his 30-yard effort in off the post to level.

And while the goal was legitimate, Hodgson made his feelings known to referee Andy Hall, whose decision to award a corner and not a goal-kick - when a Cobblers player appeared to turn the ball wide - proved costly.

Result: Northampton Town 1 Darlington 1.

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