Darlington were left to rue two pieces of first half misfortune which left them still looking for their first league win of the season.

Billy Clarke and Jason Kennedy both hit the woodwork within seconds of each other in a game which a draw was a fair result, meaning Quakers have taken a point from each of the league games so far.

They also drew against Exeter last Saturday, and had been hoping to build on the good League Cup performance at Walsall on Tuesday.

But against opposition that in midweek stunned Championship side Doncaster Rovers, they found their hosts tough to crack and they had chances of their own, especially in the first half.

But in a low key opening the only moments of note were a wasted chance for the hosts as striker Delroy Facey lashed an effort wide from inside the area, and then the Magpies' Adam Nowland misconnected with an ambitious overhead kick.

After Darlington's good showing at Walsall it was a disappointing start to the match, and it almost got a whole lot thanks to a moment of madness by Quakers keeper Simon Brown.

He raced out of his penalty area in an attempt to clear a Notts County through ball he had no chance of claiming, and Facey rounded the keeper but fortunately for Darlington the striker rolled his shot from an angle past the wrong side of the far post.

It was a let off for Quakers, and a red-faced Brown, but 60 seconds later Neil Austin ensured the scoreline stayed level thanks to a superbly-timed tackle to rob Facey in Darlington's penalty area.

Notts County had enjoyed the majority of the possession during the first 20 minutes, but Dave Penney's side gradually stamped their authority on proceedings and only a goal-line clearance prevented Steve Foster from scoring.

Notts' skipper Mike Edwards stopped Quakers' captain from scoring, and soon after Foster saw defensive partner Alan White leave the field with a groin injury, Ian Miller coming on as a sub.

Notts County included Paul Mayo who was with Darlington on loan in January and the left-back was caught in possession inside his own penalty area by Darlington's Adam Griffin who stole the ball away but his shot from 16 yards was too tame to trouble Kevin Pilkington.

A weak effort from David Poole after cutting inside from the right was similarly easily gathered and by the midway point of the half the keeper had been rarely troubled.

But soon he was to see Darlington hit the woodwork twice in the space of two frantic minutes.

In the 35th minute a fine save to deny the lively Clarke kept the scores level.

Irish forward Clarke, in eye-catching green boots, took advantage of a slip by the Magpies' Michael Johnson to pick up the ball in a central position 25 yards from goal from where he lashed at goal and saw Pilkington tip the effort on to the crossbar.

It bounced down on to the goal-line and safely into the keeper's hands, although Clarke felt it had crossed the line.

Seconds later Clarke turned provider, teeing up Kennedy to let fly from the same position Clarke had shot from but this time the powerful low effort cannoned off a post and rolled across the goal-line before going out of play.

It was tough luck on Darlington, but their period of possession was about to end. Just as Notts County had started the half as the better side, so they finished it too with a Richard Butcher lob caught by Brown and then Austin came to the rescue again, taking the ball off Facey's toes just as he lined up a shot inside Quakers' penalty area.

Despite the drab start, it had been a half full of chances and the second with an opportunity for the hosts, Johnson seeing a header tipped on to the bar by Brown.

But despite Clarke enjoying another decent display, Darlington struggled to make much impact in the final third and soon Penney took off Adam Proudlock, who had struggled to make an impact, and sent on Gregg Blundell.

The Liverpool-born striker almost made an immediate impact but his intended pass to Clarke inside the Magpies' penalty area fell behind his strike partner, and not long after Kennedy and Griffin both had shots blocked.

By the midway point of the second period Darlington were keeping the hosts at bay, Brown being kept unoccupied for long spells, however, it was a similar story at the other end of the pitch as chances dried up.

Fans of both sets of clubs may have been growing impatient, but a superb piece of skill by Notts County's Myles Weston had the home fans off their seats.

Near the corner flag he skipped past Poole and Austin with the type of trickery more associated with Cristiano Ronaldo, rolling the ball under one foot and back heeling it with the other.

But, unlike the Man. United forward the end product was a woeful drive across Quakers' penalty area to nobody.

Although each side pushed for goal in the closing minutes, neither side came close to scoring and a point apiece reflected the balance of play.

NORTHERN ECHO

Notts County:
Pilkington; Beardsley, Edwards, Johnson, Mayo; Hamshaw, Nowland (MacKenzie 64), Butcher, Weston; Forrester (Weir-Daley 80), Facey.
Subs: Hoult, Tann, Canham

Darlington:
Brown; Austin, White (Miller 26mins), Foster, Purdie; Poole, Ravenhill (Hulbert 78), Kennedy, Griffin; Proudlock (Blundell 53), Clarke.
Subs: Kazimierczak, Valentine, Hulbert