FULL-TIME: Darlington 2 Morecambe 2
League Two

GARRY Thompson tore through Darlington with a stunning display - but Morecambe hearts were broken as the Quakers staged a late, late shaker to steal a share the points in a pulsating finish.

Those two late goals were cruel on the Shrimps, who battled and scrapped for everything on a freezing day in the North East.

Thompson scored one and created the other as the Shrimps shot into a shock 2-0 lead.

But Thompson was not the only hero. Stewart Drummond and the recalled Craig Stanley were breathless in midfield - and Wayne Curtis was an immovable force in front of makeshift defender Jamie Burns on the left.

And that makes the late show all the more cruel.

The Quakers started well and Henry McStay had to block from Jason Kennedy inside a minute before Scott Davies saved brilliantly from Alan White on three minutes.

White thought he had scored when he met Ryan Valentine's free-kick with a volley - but Davies had other ideas as he arched his back to tip over.

The recalled Craig Stanley was walking a thin disciplinary line in the opening six minutes and referee Michael Oliver did well to keep the midfielder out of his book after two crunching - and rash - tackles.

It took the Shrimps a good ten minutes to settle but when they did Stanley was instrumental with a free-kick just evading Stewart Drummond before Adam Yates tried his luck from 30-yards.

And they should have taken the lead on 12 minutes but Drummond steered a free header from Thompson's pinpoint free-kick well wide before Newby saw a header from another Thompson cross saved easily by David Stockdale.

Jim Bentley limped out of the action with a hamstring problem on 22 minutes with Dave Artell replacing him at the heart of the defence - but rather than going into a defensive panic, the Shrimps attacked and Stanley, who was involved in everything, warmed the hands of Stockdale with a 25-yarder.

It was pretty much all Morecambe at this stage and Matty Blinkhorn saw a header from another clever Thompson cross deflected for a corner before the striker nodded over from a couple of yards.

Then came the breakthrough as Wayne Curtis jinked through two defenders before being tripped by White and Thompson kept was as cool as you like as he sent Stockdale the wrong way from the spot.

And just three minutes later it was 2-0 as Thompson crossed majestically for Newby to steer a header beyond the desperate reach of Stockdale for 2-0.

It was nowhere near game over. The Quakers had come from 2-0 down to beat Grimsby 3-2 in their last home game - and the start of the second-half was like a scene from the Alamo.

Jason Kennedy rocked the Morecambe crossbar with a great effort and Tommy Wright couldn't convert the rebound as the home side pressed before Richie Foran was booked for an horrendous forearm slam into the face of Davies.

Foran hurt himself in the incident and that may just have saved him from the red card the challenge may have merited.

Wright then headed at Davies when it seemed easier to score before Thompson knocked down a Curtis cross at the other end - but a falling Newby couldn't apply the finish.

Thompson, who was on fire, then curled a 25-yard free-kick inches wide before Davies got down well to save from Julian Joachim on 71 minutes.

The second-half was agonising at times but the spirit was shining through as Thompson tracked back 50 yards to time a fine tackle and concede a corner that was scrambled away.

Davies then saved bravely at the feet of Foran, who left a foot in on the keeper, but showed maturity beyond his 21 years to bark out orders to his defence telling them to keep their cool.

Drummond, a giant alongside Stanley as the half wore on, deflected a Joachim shot wide, while Artell's astonishing tackle denied Foran a shooting chance nine minutes from time.

Foran thought he was a certain scorer six yards out until Artell appeared with a long leg to steal the ball. Talk about spirit.

Legs were weary and eventually the defence was breached as the ball fell to Kennedy and he made no mistake to set up a nervy last five minutes.

It seemed the Shrimps were going to hand on until Guy Ndumbu-Nsungu broke Morecambe hearts with 70 seconds remaining with a stylish finish past the helpless Davies to make it 2-2.

They pressed but Thompson almost won it at the death only to see Stockdale catch his rasping shot.

Darlington: Stockdale, White, Foster, Blundell (Ndumbu-Nsungu 60), Parker, Joachim, Wright (Austin 64), Valentine, Foran, Hodge (Purdie 53), Kennedy. Subs: Miller, Liversedge.
Booked: Foran 57 (foul)
Goals: Kennedy 84, Ndumbu-Nsungu 89

Morecambe: Davies, Yates, Bentley (Artell 22), McStay, Burns, Thompson, Drummond, Stanley, Curtis, Newby (Twiss 77), Blinkhorn. Subs: Hunter, Baker, Jalal.
Goals: Thompson 38 pen, Newby 41

Referee: M Oliver (Northumberland)

Attendance: 3,719

4:53pm Monday 24th March 2008

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