DARLINGTON gained a morale-boosting point at home to Boston this evening – but they still dropped to the bottom of the National League North table.

Even though Quakers kept a much-needed clean sheet, they were overtaken by Southport.

Considering their dreadful outing at Buxton last Saturday, Quakers started with plenty of promise and nearly took the lead after three minutes when Kaine Felix broke through, but he didn’t get enough height on his effort with the keeper out of his goal and Cameron Gregory saved comfortably.

Darlington defender Toby Lees put a clearance over his own crossbar to stop a Boston attack on seven minutes, but Felix’s pace caused a big problem for Boston on 15 minutes when he broke through on the left and set up Harvey Barnes, whose effort went just over the bar.

Boston exposed Quakers though on 33 minutes when Finley Thorndike made a great run up the left and got to the corner of the six yard box where he set up Jimmy Knowles who somehow hit the bar from a couple of yards.

The home side had a good end to the first half.  Tom Platt headed a Barnes free-kick just past the far post, then a header by Toby Lees from a left-wing Barnes free-kick went across the face of goal without anyone getting a touch.

Jake Lawlor then had another header blocked by Gregory.

Boston nearly broke through at the start of the second half when Jimmy Knowles got away on the counter-attack, but his weak effort was easily saved by Tommy Taylor, then Thorndike had another opening on the edge of the box, but his left-foot effort took a deflection and went wide.

In a good spell of pressure, a first-time cross into the box by Barnes was cleared, then Lawlor seemed to be pushed as he went for a right-wing cross but the referee waved play on.

Nelson was booked for delaying the restart on 65 minutes, and a few minutes later he nearly got his name on the scoresheet when he picked up a pass from Will Hatfield, stepped inside, and fired just wide of the left-hand post.

Boston had a goal disallowed for offside by Woods, then Quakers sent on subs Jacob Hazel and Cameron Salkeld for Felix and Nelson.

Quakers nearly won it with two minutes left when Salkeld held the ball up well and set up Hazel, whose low shot was saved by Gregory.