RADCLIFFE Borough prevented Darlington 1883 from going top with a hard-earned 2-2 away draw on Saturday.

The North Easterners were looking to go a point clear at the summit of the Evo-Stik First Division North with two games in hand on the four teams around them.

But they came up against a Radcliffe side determined whose impressive performance belied their 17th position.

It was a fantastic performance by Paul McGuire’s team who have earned four points from successive games against three of the top four teams and play the other one, Salford City, on Boxing Day.

Boro silenced the crowd of 887 after six minutes when he opened the scoring after good work from Chris Mason on the right found Elliott Rokka in the box.

He set up Sam Cook to score from 10 yards.

Amar Purewal responded for Darlington by heading just over the bar from Adam Mitchell’s cross.

On 19 minutes Dave Sherlock’s free kick on the right was met by Rokka who laid the ball to Richard Smith whose header beat Jameson to double Boro’s lead.

Chris Cheetham made an important save from Mitchell to keep Boro’s lead intact but was beaten on 27 minutes after he fumbled a free kick from the right and the ball fell to Graeme Armstrong who converted.

During the break, unused Boro substitute Danny White was sent off for an offence that occurred in the tunnel.

Mason had a great chance to increase Boro’s lead just after the restart but his effort was hit straight at the keeper.

Cheetham then made several top-class saves redeeming himself for his earlier error as Darlington pushed forward.

Cook then chased down a long clearance down the right, skilfully bringing the ball under control then put Rokka clear through on goal but his effort hit the keeper’s legs and bounced away to safety.

Cheetham was then called upon to save from Steven Thompson’s long range effort.

With almost 10 minutes left Rokka was replaced by Ryan Hibbert.

Darlington then applied extreme pressure on the Boro goal in search of the equaliser and it paid off as Armstrong grabbed his second goal despite Boro’s appeals that Cheetham had been fouled in the process.

Cheetham was then called upon to make two more super saves as Darlington pressed for the winner.

Cook should have won the game for the Boro when he found himself one-on-one with keeper but failed to capitalise.

And Borough survived a scare in the dying minutes when Thompson hit the post with a long-range effort.

Team: Cheetham, Wedge, Lambert, Lafferty (capt), Smith, Howell, Mason, Sherlock, Burey, Rokka (Hibbert 78), Cook. Subs not used: Hindle, White.

Attendance 887.