By Martin Walker
A youthful Darlington side drew 1-1 at Northern League first division side Whitley Bay tonight.
Quakers head of youth Craig Liddle took charge of the visitors, with manager Mark Cooper and his assistant Richard Dryden sitting in the stand.
The two sides played out a fairly even first half, while the home side enjoyed most of the second-half chances before the game burst into life in the final 10 minutes.
David Pounder scored direct from a 45-yard free-kick after 81 minutes, but Danish trialist Kenneth Djneroi drew Darlo level four minutes later.
With Gateshead and Blyth Spartans managers Ian Bogie and Mick Tait also sat in the stand, Whitley started brightly and Lee Kerr shot over from 30 yards after just five minutes.
Adam Johnston's half-volley after 12 minutes from Phil Bell's crossfield pass hit the side netting, and three minutes later Darlington's first-half chance fell to skipper for the night Chris Moore, but the former Whitley winger drove a left-footed effort over the bar.
Dale Hopson hit a speculative 20-yarder straight at Bay 'keeper Terry Burke and after 18 minutes Paul Robinson tried to chip Darlo's young shot-stopper Nick Thompson from the half-way line.
Bell cut in from the right just after the half-hour mark but shot across the face of goal, and Gary Ormston shot wide from 20 yards two minutes later.
Curtis Main tried an acrobatic effort after 34 minutes when Jamie Clarke fed him near the edge of the box - the young striker chested and turned sharply before volleying over.
Main then found Dale Hopson down the inside-left channel after 38 minutes but he cut inside before shooting wide.
Pounder's free-kick was half-cleared a minute later and Johnston could only volley the rebound wide.
The visitors started the second half brightly and Djneroi shot wide two minutes after the re-start.
Robinson volleyed wide after 49 minutes and Pounder headed wide from Steve Gibson's cross in the 52nd minute.
Quakers sub 'keeper Bertram saved brilliantly from a point-blank Brian Smith header in the 57th minute and Johnston's header from Gareth Williams' free-kick on the hour was deflected wide by Clarke.
Whitley were then awarded a penalty after 68 minutes when Joe Cornforth was adjudged to have fouled Paul Chow in the box, but Bertram saved the spot-kick.
Substitute Tomi Ameobi, brother of Newcastle striker Shola, cut in from the left after 80 minutes but his shot was parried away by Bertram.
But Whitley took the lead a minute later when Moore fouled Damon Robson, and Pounder was quick to spot Bertram off his line before chipping the stranded 'keeper from 45 yards.
Darlo were back on level terms just four minutes later, however, when Bell underhit his back-pass and Djneroi latched on to ball on left of the area before slipping it past Tom Kindley from a narrow angle.
Matchfacts
Goals: Pounder, 81 mins; Djneroi, 85 mins.
Whitley: Burke (Kindley, 46), Rowe (Gibson, 46), Pounder, Williams, Bell (Chow, 46), Smith (Goodman, 73), Ormston, Robson (Bell, 82), Kerr, Johnston (Ameobi, 69), Robinson (Waite, 63).
Darlington: Thomson (Bertram, 46), Clark, Gray, Cornforth, Burn, Moore (Lambert, 63), Hopson (Stevenson, 56), Hutchinson, Main (Djneroi, 46), Trialist (Grainge, 63), Barton (Moore, 80).
Referee: R Clark (Morpeth)
Attendance: 272
