Darlington were denied getting their home campaign off to a winning start when Swansea City grabbed a late leveller to steal a point at Feethams on Tuesday night.

Quakers had come from behind to take the lead, but Steve Watkin's 89th minute goal as a sickening blow for Quakers who overcame a drab first-half to take control of the game in the second period and will feel the draw was two points lost as the win was there for the taking.

But former Darlington man John Williams was a nuisance when he came on as a substitute and it was he who provided the delivery for the equaliser.

Darlington, fielding an unchanged line-up albeit for keeper Chris Porter in for injured Andy Collett, created the game's first scoring opportunity just before the ten-minute mark and it was Saturday's goal hero, Ashley Nicholls, who almost gave Quakers the lead. Barry Conlon held the ball up well before feeding Ian Clark who did well to give possesion to Nicholls who turned and blasted the ball just over from 18 yards.

The game sauntered along at a steady pace with the hosts failing to create many clear cut chances while keeper Roger Freestone more than capable of dealing with any crosses, although Conlon was unfortunate to see his half-volley blocked by a defender's leg when he met at an excellent left-wing cross with great venom.

The Welshman, featuring five of the summer's ten signings, found it hard to penetrate Darlington's in-command back-line as they produced just a handful of wasted corners for their efforts.

Ryan Valentine, called up to the Welsh Under-21 squad last November, was unlucky not to beat fellow countryman, Freestone, from 20 yards when a right-footed blast whistled past the keeper's left-hand post but seconds later the visitors came within inches of taking the lead just after half an hour.

Both defences were in good form throughout the first 45 minutes, but striker, James Thomas, was afforded the freedom of Darlington's penalty box to direct a header at goal but, with Porter beaten, his effort clipped the top of the bar.

The chance was the visitors' only worthy effort of a tame half although Matt Clarke inadvertly almost gave them a helping hand when he felled Porter when climbing for a high ball but the pair showed that incident would not spoil their friendship as they immediately kissed and made up.

Clarke was playing at Feethams for the first time since being sent off while playing for former club Halifax Town in April last season.

With half-time approaching Darlington made one last effort to open the scoring with the lively Adam Rundle firing in a dangerous cross which won a corner and then Clark managed to hold off his marker to fire in a low delivery which was dealt with comfortably.

Similarly, just after the break, Freestone had little trouble collected a low Nicholls stab at goal which was hit far too early as the former Ipswich man had plenty of grass in front of him to cover before he should have even thought of shooting after receiving Clark's clever nod.

With the game looking unlikely to produce a goal at either end, suddenly there were strikes for both sides. The visitors broke the deadlock with a low 25-yard efort through left-back David Smith. He shot through a crowd of players into the corner of the net when a long throw was only half-cleared but Quakers wasted little time in hitting back and it was Clark, the man who can do no wrong in a Darlington shirt, who did the honours.

He fired low past Freestone after latching on to a Conlon flick-on in a repeat of the duo's combination at Cambridge and six minutes later Quakers took the lead through fan's favourite Craig Liddle.

The captain powerfully headed back across goal and into the net from Neil Wainwright's pin-point right-wing cross as Darlington took control in impressive fashion.

However, in the last ten minutes, with the visitors pushing for an equaliser, the Swans made a hash of their chance to draw level when sub Steve Watkin saw an overhead kick touched on to the post before several follow-up attempts were blocked.

Quakers would have remianed second in the table had the lively Adam Rundle not seen his 35-yard volley tipped over by the alert Freestone and the impressive save proved decisive as Swansea raced upfield to grab a point.

Watkin was given space to head in a John Williams to dampen what had been a positive atmosphere at Feethams.

MATCHFACTS

Goals: Smith (61mins, 0-1), Clark (65, 1-1), Liddle (71, 2-1), Watkin (89, 2-2)

Bookings: Clarke, Jenkins (foul), Wainwright (diving)

Referee: Mr E Evans

Attendance: 3,914

DARLINGTON (4-4-2): Porter 6; Betts 6, Liddle 7, Clarke 7, Valentine 6; Wainwright 8, Maddison 7, Nicholls 7, Rundle 8; CLARK 8, Conlon 7. Subs not used: Reed, Naylor, Keltie, Sheeran, McGurk.

SWANSEA (3-5-2): FREESTONE 9; J Smith 6 (Sharp 77), O'Leary 6, Evans 7; Jenkins 7, Murphy 8, Philips 6 (Watkin 77), Reid 6, D Smith 6; Wood 5 (Williams 55, 7), Thomas 6. Subs not used: Marsh (gk), Mumford.

MAN OF THE MATCH

ROGER Freestone - The 33-year-old rolled back the years with a fine display

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