WE ‘CHUCKED IT AWAY’ – CLARKE
PRESSURE is growing on Walsall manager Darrell Clarke after his side were held at home by National League North Darlington, following an amazing end to the match.
The underdogs led for 70 minutes through Omar Holness’ early strike and looked poised for a major upset, especially when Dan Scarr was sent off for the hosts after 82 minutes.
But the Saddlers rallied and levelled through Caolan Lavery’s 86th-minute goal, before Alfie Bates fired them ahead three minutes later.
The visitors then went down to ten men when Ben Hedley saw red but, amazingly, Joe Wheatley equalised seven minutes into injurytime to earn Darlington a second bite of the cherry.
“We found some way to chuck away a game we should have won,” raged Clarke.
“We are running the ball into the corner at 2-1 up – I would rather us go and score the third goal, that’s my mindset. You watch in disbelief sometimes at the chances you keep throwing away. I don’t think they are used to being winners, I don’t know if some of them know how to win.
“You’ve got to give Darlington credit, I’m not going to say they didn’t deserve a replay as they have had a few chances themselves, but we’ve had a lot more golden chances and not taken them.”
Holness drilled Darlington ahead after 17 minutes, firing home after Jack Rose had thwarted Stephen Thompson’s initial shot.
Walsall wasted chances to level as Rory Gaffney fired wide from close range after Wes McDonald’s 25-yarder rattled the bar and Elijah Adebayo twice blazed over.
After the break, Wheatley’s long-range strike was tipped onto the crossbar by Rose, before Scarr was sent off for two bookings.
Lavery then levelled from close range and the hosts went in front after goalkeeper Liam Connell punched Alfie Bates’ corner into his own net.
Hedley then received a second yellow after a clash with Adebayo who blazed another great chance over, before Wheatley’s lastgasp equaliser, tucking home Osagi Bascome’s free-kick.
Darlington boss Alun Armstrong, whose side were in the first round proper for the first time since the club’s 2012 reformation, said: “That’s what the FA Cup seems to bring, moments like that. “It’s tinged with disappointment that we haven’t won it, but here I am standing delighted that we drew. It’s so surreal.
“I was distraught. I thought we had blown the opportunity after being so good all game. I thought we dealt with everything that they threw at us.
“Now we’ve got to finish the job. It’s going to be tough and we have to make sure we put in another display.”