Shrewsbury: Garner, Herd, Langmead, Murdock, Tierney, Hunt (Hall 88), Davies, McIntyre, Cooke (Hibbert 81), Constable, Pugh (Humphrey 57).

Subs Not Used: Darren Moss, Bevan.

Darlington: Stockdale, Austin, Foster, Miller, Parker (Wainwright 74), Valentine, Kennedy, Cummins, Joachim, Gall (Ndumbu-Nsungu 30), Wright, Ndumbu-Nsungu (Abbott 69).

Subs Not Used: Blundell, Liversidge.

Booked: Miller, Kennedy.

Att: 4,499 (154)

Ref: Roger East (Wiltshire).

John McMahon switches to a 4-4-2 formation which sees Marc Pugh, David Hunt and Andy Cooke come into the starting line-up with Asa Hall and Dave Hibbert dropping to the bench with Guy Madjo dropping out of the squad.

The game started in the wind and rain and as the minutes on the weather got continually worse, heavier rain, higher winds and hail started to rain down on the new stadium pitch.

The best chance of the opening 5-minutes dropped to Town with Ben Davies finding space on the right, he drove in to the box and drilled in a low shot but Stockdale was down smartly at his post to tip the ball behind for a corner.

All the attacking play was coming from Town and when Cooke did well to wrestle back possession just inside the Darlo half he then pushed the ball into the run of Constable, he continued his run forward and then pushed the ball wide into Pugh, he drove for the by-line and then curled across a cross that caused havoc in the Darlo box but no Town player could make the all important connection.

Stockdale in the Darlo net had been the busier of the keepers for the first quarter of an hour, he had to be at his best when Ben Davies whipped in a decent looking cross that took flicked off Valentine's head and looked to be goal bound until Stockdale got across to flick the ball behind at stretch.

With 30-minutes on the clock Darlington were coming more into the game as an attacking force, they were pushing Town further back into their own half and getting at the home side. Darlo were seeing a lot more of the ball around the Town box and were getting some good sights on goal, the best was a long range effort from Tommy Wright that dipped just over the bar.

As the half neared the break Town were once again looking the stronger of the sides as an attacking force. They had the ball in and around the Darlo box but couldn't turn that possession into goals, the best effort was a free-kick from Ben Davies which had Stockdale getting down smartly to smoother.

The Town defence had shown an assured footing in some atrocious conditions through the half.

Town continued to push and nearly nicked a goal at the death after Marc Pugh was fouled, the ball was whipped in from the free-kick and Kelvin Langmead just failed t connect cleanly at the back post.

Half-time: 0-0

The conditions were still having an effect on the game with the blustery wind and heavy rain stopping any flow to the game, both sides moves were breaking down with misplaced passes and over hit balls stopping the game from flowing.

On 59-minutes John Mc made his first change of the evening bringing on Chris Humphrey to replace Marc Pugh, Davies moved over to the left with Humphreys going onto the right.

Darlo had shown little as an attacking force in the half but they nearly got in twice in quick succession, the first after Ndumbu-Nsungu broke along the by-line and then cut the ball back for Tommy Wright but his shot was blocked for a corner, the ball was swung over from the corner and met by Cummins who put in a powerful header that looked to be goal bound until Langmead got a head in the way to block.

The visitors had their best chance to grab the lead when some neat work on the edge of the Town box saw the ball come to Jason Kennedy in a lot of space, he curled in a shot with only Garner to beat but luckily for Town it was wide of the target.

With quarter of an hour of the game remaining John Mc made his second switch bringing on Dave Hibbert to replace Andy Cooke in a straight switch.

Town were getting closer to getting the goal that they deserved and were pushing Darlo all the way. Good pressure saw the home side win a corner which was whipped across, the ball fell in a clutch of players with Darlo unable to clear, a Town foot struck in a shot which hit the post and then came out to Hunt on the edge of the box, he hit a low drive back in which looked goal bound until a Darlo foot and went behind for another corner. Davies swung this over but Darlo half cleared, it came to Constable just inside the box with his back to goal, he held of his marker and broke into the space but ref East saw this as a foul much to the annoyance of the Town crowd.

The addition of Humphrey on the right had given Town a lot more pace down the wing and he was causing the visitors a lot of problems. His pace and determination were at times carrying him through and turning Darlo's defence inside out.

The visitors really should have grabbed the lead with just over 5-minutes remaining when a ball down the centre found Tommy Wright breaking the goal side of Langmead, he continued his run in on goal while Langmead slipped but he put his shot wide of the gapping goal.

With the game fast approaching injury time John Mc made his last change by bringing on Asa Hall to replace David Hunt in a straight switch.

The game ended with Town continuing to push but ref East was being a little picky and blew up for a couple of challenges which seemed a little harsh on the Town forward.

Full-time: 0-0