County pegged
COUNTY were left frustrated after being held to a late 3-3 draw with promotion rivals Darlington on a pulsating afternoon Edgeley Park.
Danny Lloyd’s first-half brace had twice given The Hatters the lead, with Darlington twice hauling themselves level through Josh Gillies and Stephen Thompson.
Substitute Jimmy Ball appeared to have won the tie for County late on in at the second half, but for big striker Mark Beck’s 86th minute header to deny Jim Gannon’s men a win which would have propelled The Hatters into the National League North play-off positions.
Gannon made three changes to the side which exited the FA Trophy in a 2-0 2nd Round replay defeat at Brackley the Tuesday night prior, with new boy midfielder Elliot Osborne coming in for Courtney Meppen-Walters, whilst John Marsden and Kay Odejayi replaced Kaine Felix and Josh Amis.
It had been an eventful week following County’s Trophy exit, with the arrival of Osborne - on loan from Fleetwood Town - being shortly followed by the signing of Winsford United midfielder Harry Brazel, who impressed against The Hatters in a 4-4 Cheshire Cup draw at the start of the month.
Brazel settled for a place on the bench as County adopted a 4-3-1-2 formation, with Lewis Montrose and the shortly departing Gary Stopforth - set to try his luck with a move to Australia following this weekend’s trip to Halifax accompanying Osborne in the middle of the park.
The afternoon had the feel of a big occasion with a crowd of 3649 – the biggest in the division on the day – treated to a six goal thriller, in which the hosts’ attacking threat must have delighted the home support, just as equally as a number of defensive errors frustrated them.
Darlington boss Martin Gray reflected later that his side were “fortunate in the extreme” to make it to the interval with the scores level, as County began the stronger and threatened on a number of occasions early on.
Osborne drove wide from long range before top goalscorer Lloyd blazed a great opportunity wide of the target - as Odejayi appealed for a penalty after tussling inside the area, the rebound fell to the Liverpudlian winger who scuffed his strike.
When the opener did come, it arrived in sumptuous style for The Hatters. Osborne, enjoying a tremendous debut as he provided hope that he’d be a more than adequate replacement come the energetic Stopforth’s departure, drifted out to the right before checking back onto his left foot with a delightful inswinging cross.
Over the head of target man Odejayi, the curling ball in was met by one of the smallest players on the pitch, as Lloyd rose highest to crash a header – his first headed goal in 19 Hatters strikes – in off Peter Jameson’s post.
With the atmosphere cranked up, Osborne’s slaloming run was halted illegally by Kevin Burgess, and Lloyd stepped up to curl a wicked free-kick against Jameson’s upright and agonisingly wide back across the face of goal just moments later.
After Burgess had scythed down Odejayi and his Darlington defensive partner Brown appeared to escape punishment for a raised arm in Odejayi’s face in the aftermath, Darlington grabbed the equaliser as County were looking more likely to get a second.
With the hosts appealing for a free-kick for another heavy challenge on Odejayi, Gillies did win a free-kick under a Michael Clarke challenge on halfway – and duly curled a cross into the area which bounced all the way through and deceived Ben Hinchliffe to creep inside the far post.
Perhaps feeling wronged, County resumed play back on the front foot and regained the lead in bizarre fashion just five minutes later.
Lloyd fizzed a corner in under the crossbar, as the onlooking Hatters faithful will be accustomed to from the 25 year-old as he’s done so many times this campaign, and it paid off as Jameson claimed the cross before inconceivably dropping it inside his near post.
Lloyd was more than happy to claim his 19th of the season, as Tranmere scouts watched on amidst continuing speculation over the former Fylde man’s Edgeley Park future - and County appeared to have regained the initiative.
That was until one minute before the break when right-back Hunter’s long ball from defence was flicked on by the troublesome Beck, and the onrushing Thompson enjoyed far too much room in a gaping County defence to collect and slot past Hinchliffe.