Dartford welcomed Macclesfield Town to a very wet Princes Park on Saturday and the spoils were shared.

A downpour and overnight rain put the ground staff hard at work in the build up to the game with puddles a plenty along the side lines and an unpredictable bounce in both penalty areas.

Macclesfield arrived on the back of a fantastic result against league leaders Barnet in midweek where Dartford were looking to recover from their narrow loss away at Bristol Rovers.

Dartford made two changes from their midweek game with Ryan Hayes coming in for Danny Harris and Nathan Collier coming in for Adam Green.

After a bright start from the hosts without any real efforts on the goal, The Darts had to make an early change with Tom Bradbrook having to be replaced after going down injured chasing a Nathan Collier ball into the corner, with Danny Harris replacing him up front.

It was from a foul on the substitute which eventually led to the corner from which Rory McAuley nearly gave the home side the lead. He rose highest from Ryan Hayes left wing corner and produced a good save from Rhys Taylor in the Macclesfield goal.

Dartford were in the ascendency and after some good combination play between Crawford and Daly breaking from half way saw Daly bought down right on the edge of the area, with the home crowd crying for a penalty.

After a long build up, Elliot Bradbrook free kick was blocked by the wall. Minutes later, Dartford had more shouts for a penalty, Ryan Hayes clipped ball towards Danny Harris skipped through on the surface where it appeared the goalkeeper brought down the striker recovering from a slip.

The appeals for a penalty fell on deaf ears and Macclesfield were close to taking the lead.

A slip by Nathan Collier defending against Arthur Gnahoua allowed the left winger to cut in and cross towards Paul Lewis who had sneaked in unmarked, his header from eight yards was magnificently tipped over the bar by Jason Brown.

The heavy pitch was to have its second victim of the first half with visiting midfielder David Gonzalez Diaz having to be replaced by returning striker Matthew Barnes- Homer.

As the clock reached 45 minutes, Dartford were again close to taking the lead. Harry Crawford and Ryan Hayes combined to put in Danny Harris through one on one on the angle but the offside flag went up before Harris got his shot away.

After a quiet start to the second half, with the ball in the air, the majority of the time, Dartford were the first to threaten. Luke Daly run at the heart of the defence and was brought down 30 yards out.

Ryan Hayes free kick was cleverly worked and Elliot Bradbrook headed just wide at the back post.

It was to be a frenetic minute or so of football as from the next attack, Dartford really should have scored. Tom Bender cross was headed against the post by Mat Mitchel-King and the ball fell to Ryan Hayes who somehow managed to fire across goal instead of poking home.

In a series of close calls for the visitors, Luke Daly very nearly had his shot deflected in but it trickled wide for a corner. The home side were in the ascendency but it was Macclesfield who came close to taking the lead.

Half time substitute Adriano Moke dispossessed Nathan Collier just inside the Dartford half before beating 2 more players before firing a shot which beat the dive of Jason Brown but cannoned off both posts and back into the keepers grateful arms.

Dartford were to go close with quarter of an hour left to play. Good build up play involving Tom Bender, Lee Noble and Danny Harris down the left released Max Cornhill to shoot inches wide of the keepers right hand post from the edge of the area.

Dartford were desperate for a winner that their superiority deserved. Ryan Hayes was to go close as time was running out, his shot being cleared close to the goal line by the Macclesfield defence.

Ryan Hayes was to get his just deserves 5 minutes from time when Andy Pugh found him wide right. Hayes skipped beyond his  marker and slotted beyond the keeper into the bottom corner.

Just rewards for their effort or so they thought. Macclesfield were to equalise almost immediately. Chris Holroyd sweeped in a low cross from the right and there was Matthew Barnes-Homer, all alone in the six yard area to sweep home.

Macclesfield almost stole the game going into stoppage time. More great wing play from Adriano Moke had Collier in a twist and his chipped ball to the back post found right back Andy Halls whose shot from 8 yards was deflected behind for a corner.

One more chance was to be had for the home side in stoppage time. A long ball was flicked on and Danny Harris forced a good save out of Rhys Taylor, diving low to his left to keep out his shot.

A share of the spoils for the Darts was less than they deserved as could be shown by the cheers from the Macclesfield bench as the final whistle blew.

 

Dartford: Brown, Bender, McAuley, E Bradbrook ©, Cornhill, Hayes, Daly (Noble 74), Mitchel-King, Collier, Crawford (Pugh 79), T Bradbrook( Harris 10)

Subs not used: Green,  Ibrahim.

 

Macclesfield: Taylor, Halls, Barrow, Waterfall, Pilkington, Turnbull ©, Lewis, Holroyd, Fairhurst, Gnahoua (Moke 45), Gonzalez Diaz ( Barnes-Homer 34)

Subs not used: Branagan, Cowan,  Grant

 

Attendance: 1063