Warrington Town 1 Darlington 1883 1 

WARRINGTON Town’s draw with Darlington on Tuesday handed the league title to Salford City, co-owned by Manchester United’s famous Class of 92.

It was all smiles at full time for the Salford officials and fans who made the trip to Cantilever Park for a feisty game that ended 1-1, which means Darlington must now fight for promotion in the play-offs.

Unfortunately for Warrington, their hopes of reaching the play-offs for a second successive year had long since diminished, their focus instead being on the Doodson Sport Cup final against Stockport on Thursday week.

The hosts took the lead from the penalty spot on 19 minutes, when Alan White was adjudged to have hand balled a deep corner, with Scott Metcalfe stepping up and smashing the penalty home, making up for the one he missed against Ossett Albion on Saturday.

Prior to that, Darlington had been in the ascendancy, Stephen Thompson’s acrobatic effort tipped wide by back-up goalkeeper Adam Reid and Graeme Armstrong heading wide from a corner at the back post.

Shortly before Metcalfe’s opener for Town, Darlington captain Gary Brown had kept the game scoreless with an incredible header off the line from Chris Gahgan, after the ‘keeper had got a fingertip to Ben Wharton’s shot.

As the game approached half-time, Darlington once again started to turn the screw, and Terry Galbraith’s shot across goal was diverted wide. From the resulting corner, which was initially cleared, Brown guided the ball in to the net for 1-1.

The visitors came agonisingly close to taking a lead in to the half time break, when Adam Mitchell curled a beauty of a free kick off the crossbar from 25 yards.

A good save at the start of the second half denied a deflected Metcalfe shot, before the referee played a good advantage to allow Thompson to set up a chance for David Dowson, forcing a brave stop by Reid, deputising for Town’s regular number one Karl Wills.

Darlington’s biggest chance came on the hour mark, Galbraith’s curling free kick headed against the inside of the post by the unfortunate White.

They piled men forward in the final quarter, leaving Town on the back foot, though they did almost take the lead themselves when Brown was called in to action to deny Wharton, who had done brilliantly to get control of the ball in the box and shoot goal wards following superb work by Nathan Burke down the right.

Having failed to beat Lancaster at the weekend, there was a sense of resignation amongst the large Darlington travelling support as the game neared its end, given that even if they had won this one, they’d have needed Salford to drop points against Ossett Town at the weekend.

They couldn’t break Warrington’s resolve, and will now have to earn promotion through the play-offs, which will also include Northwich Victoria, Spennymoor Town and Bamber Bridge.

Bamber Bridge defeated Warrington, who will finish no higher than eighth this season, in last season’s play-offs, while Darlington went down to eventual winners Ramsbottom.

Warrington finish their league campaign this season with a trip to Clitheroe on Saturday.

Warrington: Reid, Turner, Hardwick, Beattie, McCarten, Robinson, Tames (Bannister), Burke, Wharton, Gahgan (Corrigan), Metcalfe (Hickey). Subs not used: Bibby, Collins.