A superb first half performance was in vein after a deflected Colin Larkin strike cancelled out a fantastic team goal that fans man-of-the-match Greg Blundell excellently converted past Northampton keeper Mark Bunn, in an encouraging performance from Dave Penney's men.

The romance of the FA Cup is somewhat lost on a Darlington versus Northampton tie, both sides decidedly more concentrated on their league progress. However the game failed to disappoint and provided one of the more exhilarating first forty-five minutes witnessed at the Arena this season.

Darlington seemingly have developed some sort of fixation on home cup game performances as today's encounter supplied some gorgeous fluent football, a couple of excellent goals and a thoroughly enjoyable all-round game of football. A promising start to the game was rewarded with a delightfully worked goal just seven minutes into the play.

Neil Austin floated a ball down the right channel, Tommy Wright meticulously headed across the 18 yard line for Gregg Blundell to run onto, poking it round the defender and coolly slotting past the helpless Mark Bunn. It was deserved and set the tome for the rest of the half, especially the first 30 minutes which the hosts dominated playing with a relaxed confidence and composure with the all important league affairs taking a break for the weekend.

The lead came mightily close to being doubled just three minutes later. The mercurial Julian Joachim toyed with his marker on the right flank before making a trademark knock and run, whipping in a cross deep to the far post where Mark Bunn, in the Cobblers goal, lost grasp of the catch but no attackers were on hand to apply the finish to the loose ball.

The ease and simplicity at which the Quakers knocked the ball around against higher league opposition was testament to the capabilities of Dave Penney's side, Joachim and Purdie imaginatively probing the flanks, Cummins and Keltie orchestrating the play and possession, the defence immaculate in dealing with anything that reached them, whilst Blundell acted as the perfect foil for Wright who was almost unblemished in his holding up play, superbly and consistently winning headers and feeding in the support play.

And it was Wright who was instrumental in creating the hosts third good goalscoring opportunity in the first 20 minutes, guiding Austin's ball into his chest and on to Cummins 20 yards out but the back-in-favour centre midfielder's rasping left foot half volley curled agonisingly too much away from goal crashing against the upright of the post and bar. Darlington were in cruse control, dictating the play and looking good with the ball.

Then the sucker punch. Out of nowhere former Darlo target Colin Larkin had a little bit of space 25 yards out, let fire with his left foot and the deflected shot flew past Stockdale into his top corner for the second Saturday running. A killer and unfortunate blow, and one which took the sting out of Darlington's game for a short while.
Northampton were quickest out of the blocks after the half time interval applying significant but not overly threatening pressure on the typically resolute Quakers rearguard. In fact the game took a similar pattern for much of the remainder of the game, both sides, but in particularly Northampton, enjoyed good spells of possession without really doing anything with the ball in the last third.

Stockdale was left without a save to make, whilst the only time Mark Bunn had to worry was from a Cummins header from Barrau's, on for Purdie, cross to the back stick which harmlessly dipped over the top. But a draw is desired, a replay on a Tuesday in Northampton a distraction that can be ill afforded if the already thinning out squad can maintain its promotion push in the crucial Christmas fixture pile up.

Enter Pawel Abbott, making his long awaited comeback from a knee fibres injury, in a tactical swap for Brackstone lining up in a three pronged attack with usual partner Wright and understudy Blundell. With the game fizzing out to a draw, a last gasp Abbott strike from Barrau's corner zipped over the top in an almost referential symbolisation of the second half. Lots of really impressive and hard worked moves were carved out only for both sides to disappoint in their delivery and conversion in the last third.

On the basis of the first half Darlington can consider themselves quite unfortunate that a trip to Sixfields is required to bring this tie to any conclusion but the lacklustre second period perhaps vindicates such a necessity. A big improvement though, the first half unquestionably sets the benchmark of what this side are capable of achieving and hopefully this will act as a pedestal to bigger and better things in both competitions Quakers are left involved in.

Darlington: Stockdale, Austin, White, Foster, Brackstone (Abbott 80), Joachim, Keltie, Cummins, Purdie (Barrua 66), Blundell, Wright. Subs: Oakes, Ravenhill, Wiseman, Abbott, Barrua.

Northampton: Bunn, Hughes, Doig (Bradley Johnson 10), Dolman, Crowe, Jackman, Holt, Burnell, Gilligan, Hubertz (Kirk 62), Larkin. Subs: Dunn, Dyer, Jones, Bradley Johnson, Kirk.

Darlington bookings: None.

Northampton bookings: None.

Goals: Blundell 8th min (1-0), Larkin 26th min (1-1).

Report by Garry Mann.