DARLINGTON failed to win for the fifth successive game – but they managed to gain ground in the race for the play-offs.
Quakers’ third successive away goalless draw enabled them to move into fifth place, climbing above Scarborough who lost at home to Curzon Ashton, with Gloucester, Chorley and Buxton all failing to capitalise. It means that Quakers are two points ahead of eighth place with five games remaining.
Manager Alun Armstrong said: “It was a frustrating result. I thought we created enough chances, and we were much more on the front foot than recent games and had a good few opportunities, but we seemed to snatch at them.
"Everything seemed to be rushed, but I thought the lads at the back - Jake Lawlor and Jassem Sukar - were excellent as well as Nathan Newall who came in from the cold.”
There were plenty of chances in the opening 20 minutes.
Blyth nearly took the lead when centre-forward Cedric Main latched on to a high ball, but Darlington keeper Tommy Taylor came quickly off his line to block his attempted lob.
Quakers responded with a good chance of their own when Kaine Felix found space on the right and crossed into the middle for Jacob Blyth to fire over the bar.
After Jordan Hickey fired wide from the edge of the box for Spartans, Quakers nearly scored on seven minutes when Blyth keeper Alex Mitchell fisted a right-wing corner straight to Darlington midfielder Alex Purver, whose effort was headed off the line.
There was a better opportunity four minutes later, when Nathan Newall curled another corner into the six-yard box for Felix to head against the base of the post.
A few minutes later, Jacob Blyth headed down Sukar’s high ball for Adriano Moke to curl a right-foot shot just wide of the left-hand post.
Spartans hit the woodwork themselves on 18 minutes when the visiting defence failed to deal with a high ball, and Nicky Deverdics’ looping shot came back off the crossbar.
Jacob Hazel thought he’d scored his 21st goal of the season on 36 minutes when he found the net off a Jacob Blyth nod down, but the flag went up for offside, and then Jarrett Rivers, on his return to the side, put Hazel through but he dragged his effort wide of the target.
The former Whitby player was denied at the start of the second half when he chested the ball down on the edge of the area and shot left footed towards the top-left corner, but Mitchell went full length and denied him.
And then he had a better opportunity when Sukar, called into the middle of defence 15 minutes before the start of the game because of a warm-up injury to David Wheater, broke away and set him up with a clear sight of goal, but his first touch was too heavy and Mitchell saved at his feet.
The nippy Main got through at the other end, but Taylor made an excellent save.
The game swung from end to end, and Newall, who came in at short notice at left-back, crossed from the left for Blyth to head over the bar from a good position.
Blyth were also throwing caution to the wind, and JJ O’Donnell hit the top of the bar from the edge of the area.
Sub Andrew Nelson came on and tested Mitchell from 25 yards, then Hazel was denied once again by Mitchell.
Finn Cousin-Dawson headed wide from a corner in the closing minutes, but was sent off in stoppage time for two fouls in two minutes on Felix.
Quakers are at home to Bradford Park Avenue on Monday afternoon.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here