The first game at Feethams since last week's incredible fans forum gave chairman George Reynolds his first opportunity to gauge the reaction of the club's supporters, and their mood will not have improved after a tame affair which ended in defeat and was Darlington's eighth game without a win.

When Reynolds emerged from the players' tunnel five minutes before the game, there were none of the boos or heckling so apparent at last Thursday's fans forum as he received a muted response from Darlington's lowest crowd of the season.

But the players received an altogether more welcoming response when they entered the field as captain Craig Liddle led his teammates to the centre-circle where they gathered to collectively applaud the supporters who have backed them so vehemently over the past week.

After 11 months out with a cruciate ligament injury Glenn Naylor made a return to the first-team squad but he was an unused substitute while Craig Liddle regained his central defensive duties at the expense David McGurk and Mark Convery replaced Paul Campbell in right-midfield.

A scrappy beginning meant the game had to wait until the tenth minute before the first shot at goal when Darlington right-back Steve Harper hit an effort from 20 yards which flew a yard over Steve Wilson's crossbar.

Just five minutes later Ian Clark was unfortunate to be called offside when he latched on to a perfectly-measured Brian Atkinson through-ball, and from the resulting free-kick Macclesfield reached Quakers' penalty area for the first time but there was nobody at the far post to meet Lee Glover's low cross.

As both sides forced chances during a first-half in which neither team stamped their authority, former Sunderland ace Chris Byrne wasted two chances to opening the scoring within 60 seconds as he fired wide from the edge of the box and then miscued a first-time shot which wide of goal.

Neil Wainwright inadvertadly came close to scoring an own goal as he attempted to side-foot Glover's cross wide of his own goal, but fortunately for the winger, who has been switched from the right to the left side of midfield, his clearance deflected off keeper Keith Finch's legs as the keeper stood motionless.

Reynolds conducted a mini-walkabout midway through the first-half as he spoke to a handful of supporters before conduting an interview during the match with a local radio reporter but the conversation could've cost him as a Liddle clearance landed just yards away in the crowd.

Mark Ford came close to giving Quakers the lead just five minutes into the second half but his header was too tame and seconds later Ian Clark's ambitous overhead-kick sailed wide.

The Silkmen's Rickie Lambert was unfortunate not to see his 20-yard free-kick hit the back of the net but his thunderous effort, backed by a strong wind, sailed over bar but Wainwright came even closer as Wilson was forced to tip wide a venemous blast from 16 yards after picking Ford's neat lay-off.

Amid bitterly cold conditions and a blustery wind which did little to encourage a good match, it was Darlington who began the second half creating the better chances and one of those fell to the feet of Clark on the edge of the area having been played-in by Brian Atkinson but the former Hartlepool forward scuffed his right-foot shot wide.

The opening goal came following some fine play by the visitors as he they passed their way across the Darlington penalty area before Chris Priest ghosted in to the box unnoticed and he delivered a pass to substitute John Askey who made no mistake from eight yards as Quakers' defence failed to put a foot in.

Bouyed by taking the lead, Macclesfield began to boss the last fifeteen minutes and Darlington were thankful Macclesfield's Lambert wasn't didn't have the pace required to meet Danny Whitaker's right-wing cross as Lambert slid in at the far post but he was just inches away from connecting.

Macclesfield wouldn't have deserved a two-goal lead and a draw would have been a fair result after a drab affair in which Darlington only threatened rarely.

The game was scheduled to be the last ever night time match at Feethams, but as Reynolds conceded in Tuesday's The Northern Echo, the new stadium at Neasham Road may not be ready in time for August which would guarantee more midweek matches at Quakers' present home next season.

Darlington will be hoping for better performances infront of bigger crowds.

MATCHFACTS

Goals: Askey (75mins, 0-1)

Bookings: None

Referee: Steve Baines (Chesterfield)

Attendance: 2,729

DARLINGTON: Finch 6; Harper 6, LIDDLE 8, Brightwell 6, Heckingbottom 6; Convery 6 (Hogdgson 45), Atkinson 8, Ford 6, Wainwright 7; Clark 6 (Rundle 80), Maddison 6 (Sheeran 80). Subs not used: Brumwell, Naylor.

MACCLESFIELD TOWN: Wilson 6; Hitchen 6, Tinson 7, MaCauley 6, Adams 6; Priest 7, Byrne 6 (Keen 71), Whitaker 6, Lambert 8, Glover 6, Tipton 6 (Askey 71). Subs not used: Martin (gk), Ridler, Lightbourne.

MAN OF THE MATCH

CRAIG Liddle - It's a wonder how the team ever coped without him

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