Darlington's downfall a week ago was an inability to convert one of numerous scoring chances.

Saturday's match at Rochdale told a similar tale, but the game was certainly not a repeat performance.

Against Oxford, Quakers were not attractive to watch and, on occasions, gave possession away cheaply as the long-ball tactic was resorted to all too often.

But at Spotland Tommy Taylor's side, playing some excellent football, dominated much of an exciting game which Darlington deserved to win.

Quakers spurned several opportunities to take all three points, the most glaring being Ian Clark's decision to shoot when, in line with the goal posts, he should have pulled the ball back to an unmarked Barry Conlon who would have had the simple task of putting the ball into an empty net. But Conlon, as well as Phil Hadland, Ashley Nicholls and Clark were all guilty of missing chances in front of goal, which was a severe injustice to Darlington's build-up play.

Taylor admitted he was frustrated Darlington had failed to secure victory at one of the team's tipped for promotion.

He said: "I look to get three points wherever we go, it doesn't matter who we're playing.

"But I can do more than what I do on the training ground, which is to tell them where the ball should be passed to and what kind of crosses they should be putting into the box.

"Bazza (Conlon) was frustrated when Clark didn't pass it to him and so was I. Clark came in the dressing room afterwards, said sorry and said he knew he should have pulled the ball back.

"But at least we're creating chances and I thought we were comfortable at the back most of time. They scored what was a good goal for them but a sloppy goal from our point of view.''

Although Rochdale did cause problems occasionally, they did disappoint and were a shadow of the team which swept aside Darlington at Spotland in April.

Only in fleeting glimpses did they demonstrate their ability to pass the ball through Quakers' rearguard - but when Dale did that they were certainly capable of creating chances.

So it is testament to Darlington's midfield, who bossed the game, and defence that the hosts were unable to get out of second gear. However, that prospect seemed highly unlikely with just seven minutes on the clock when the lively Lee McEvilly put his team ahead as Darlington started slowly. He was afforded too much space in front of Quakers' penalty area as he controlled the ball and then turned to lash past Andy Collett.

But the goal gave Darlington, watched by chairman George Reynolds and wife Susan, a kick up the backside and it was not long before a deserved leveller came.

With Jon Cullen out with a hamstring injury, Ashley Nicholls was restored to centre-midfield and it was from here, after being played through following good work by Neil Maddison and Conlon, he made a surging run into the penalty area, to slot past the keeper.

Darlington thought they had doubled their tally with a Conlon header only for the referee to cancel the goal out, explaining Neil Wainwright had pushed a Dale defender.

The pitch was passed playable shortly after 2pm following torrential rain in Greater Manchester and the Spotland groundstaff worked wonders to have it ready in time. But in a part of the pitch affected by the rain more than in most places, Matt Clarke was almost caught out when his under-hit backpass left Collett in trouble and he had to be alert to clear the ball from the toes of the advancing McEvilly.

After a lively first-half during which both teams displayed a clear will to win with Darlington edging the amount of possession, Dale came out for the second half clearly determined to retake the lead but for all their effort, they could not find a way past Quakers' back-line.

In the main they were restricted to long shots and with the last third of the game approaching Darlington decided a point would not be good enough and began a series of raids on the Rochdale rearguard.

First came Clark's mistake when he failed to find Conlon and then the Irish striker saw a header cleared off the goal-line.

But Conlon really should have scored when faced one-on-one with keeper, Neil Edwards, but the forward blasted his attempt too close to the keeper who then blocked Clark's follow-up when the former Hartlepool man could have done better.

All that was required was somebody who can provide a spark in the opposition's penalty area, somebody who can turn half-chances into goals.

Somebody like Faustino Asprilla, perhaps

Read more about the Quakers here.