Caretaker boss Mick Tait was forced to settle for a point as Darlington were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Scunthorpe last night.

An Ian Clark penalty cancelled out former Quakers striker Martin Carruthers' early opener.

Both sides met on the back of good wins at the weekend and Tait was pleased to see another determined display from his players.

"You can't get much better than that as a performance," said Tait.

"All you can get is a few breaks in front of goal and you win the game by scoring a few goals but I couldn't have asked anymore of the players."

Meanwhile skipper Craig Liddle thought Brian Laws' side provded a stern test.

"It was a good test for us, they're not a bad side and they should be up there at the end of the season," said Liddle.

"Overall they had a couple chances but I thought we did quite well against them.

"We gave them a sloppy goal but got back into it and I think we looked the stronger team, especially in the second half."

Liddle was also pleased to see the crowd get behind the team.

He said: "We've had a few dodgy results at home so it was important, especially with the amount of young lads we've got, that the crowd got behind us and they did just that.

"The support just like Saturday was excellent."

Tait was forced to make one change from the side which beat Exeter at the weekend with Matt Clarke coming in for the injured Stuart Whitehead.

Neil Maddison was once again a notable absentee from last night's squad while Mark Ford was named on the substitutes bench.

On a frosty evening the Feethams crowd showed their appreciation after Saturday's result with a warm reception for the players as they emerged from the tunnel.

Andy Collett was called into early action when he had to be quick to react to Simon Betts' wayward back pass.

Then with just five minutes gone the Quakers 'keeper was picking the ball out of the net.

Carruthers, who scored against his former club in both fixtures last season, was again on the mark when he shrugged off Liddle before knocking the ball past Collett.

Quakers looked for a quick reply and Ian Clark should have done better when he blasted over and seconds later Iron 'keeper Tom Evans was forced to parry away Clark Keltie's rasping drive from a well-worked free-kick.

Making only his third start for the club you could easily be mistaken that Keltie has been around for years with a commanding display in the middle of the park.

In a thoroughly entertaining opening quarter-of-an-hour Collett was again called into action when he clawed away Alex Calvo Garcia's defelected effort.

Amid all this Paul Campbell was forced to withdraw with a groin injury - Neil Wainwright replacing.

Scunthorpe should have been two up in the 25th minute when Matt Sparrow's cross from the right evaded everyone including striker Steve Torpey.

Two minutes later Quakers were level from the penalty spot.

Referee Michael Ryan will not have to make an easier decision this season after Stuart Palmer played Clark rather than the ball.

Clark dusted himself down and rammed the ball home.

Moments later Quakers could have been in front when Simon Betts played a through ball to Richard Hodgson but Evans saved bravely at the winger's feet.

Winger Peter Beagrie, Scunthorpe's best player in the first half, failed to re-appear for the second half and without the former Everton man, the vistitors seemed short of ideas.

Quakers continued to press forward but just couldn't find a winner.

A disappointing second half produced the biggest cheer of the night when Stuart Palmer was sent off in the closing stages for using foul and abusive language.

Result: Darlington 1 Scunthorpe United 1.

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