Both sides had to settle for a point at the Northern Echo Arena on a sunny afternoon. Both defences were on top during a low tempo first forty-five minutes. The game opened up a little after the break with both Darlington and Accrington Stanley passing up decent opportunities to take all three points. However Grimsby's 1-0 win at Hereford United and Cheltenham's 5-2 win against Bury means mathematical relegation is edging closer. Confirmation could well come after Tuesday night's trip to Rochdale.

Chances were in short supply for much of the first half. Darlington midfielder Chris Moore saw an effort clawed behind for a seventh minute corner kick before Paul Arnison's first time shot from twenty-five yards out on twelve minutes was caught by the Stanley keeper. At the opposite end Jimmy Ryan fired over the bar for the visitors on twenty-three minutes before Stanley's Michael Symes missed the visitor's best chance of the first period. He managed to chest the ball down in the Darlington penalty area under no real pressure and curled a shot narrowly wide of the far post.

Close to the half hour mark a burst forward into the Accrington half Paul Arnison led to a decent opening for leading Darlington scorer Tadhg Purcell. The defender's foray up field saw him play a terrific ball forward to the Irishman who saw a near post shot pushed behind for a corner kick. The game was in desperate need of a goal it was only after the break when things opened up for either side.

A free-kick conceded by Alan White early in the second half allowed Bobby Grant to curl a set-piece high and wide of the mark. Shortly afterwards Symes saw a shot roll wide of the post after a Shane Redmond save. From the resulting, well worked corner kick, Ryan fired powerfully over the bar for the visitors. It was an excellent corner kick which was superbly left by two players to allow Ryan the shooting opportunity.

Mor Diop helped create what should have been a fantastic chance for Darlington on the hour mark. He broke forward after winning the ball and played in Purcell. However the Quakers forward, perhaps too eager to impress his new manager, went for goal from twenty-five yards out when Moore was in a far better position on his right. It proved to be the last action for Diop who was replaced by youngster Michael Smith. A few minutes later and defender White was forced off through injury.

On seventy-one minutes Purcell latched onto a long ball forward but saw Accrington keeper Ian Dunbavin make a good save to deny him. At the opposite end John Miles wasted a decent chance for the visitors before Redmond pulled off a double save to deny first Darren Kempson and then Grant as the game finished goalless.