DAVE PENNEY felt like a loser after Karleigh Osborne’s stoppage- time equaliser knocked Darlington off top spot.

The Quakers were heading for their seventh league win on the spin when on-loan Southend striker Richie Foran nodded them into a 59th-minute lead.

But a late Brentford onslaught finally reaped its reward when Osborne scrambled an equaliser two minutes into added time.

Boss Penney said: “I feel like we’ve lost yet it was an excellent performance and we got a good away point.

“We were organised and looked good for the victory but Brentford put us under a lot of pressure and a point was probably a fair result.

“We could’ve defended the free-kick better that led to the goal but it’s all history now — and we’ve just got to improve on that when we play Chester at our place on Tuesday night.”

Luck

Foran put Darlington in front against the run of play, heading home midfielder Franz Burgmeier’s free-kick.

And the striker could have put the game out of sight a minute later, but his shot was saved by Bees keeper Andy Oakes after breaking clear. Penney added: “Richie is a big player for us and he led the line well. Obviously, we were missing Liam Hatch and Billy Clarke up there – but he’s a versatile player.

“Billy should be fit for Tuesday night and Liam will be back next weekend with a bit of luck.”

Brentford sub Nathan Elder hit a post before Osborne finally forced in his equaliser.

Bees boss Andy Scott said: “We deserved a point – Darlington rarely threatened and I was pleased with our all-round performance.”

LINCOLN 0, SHREWSBURY 0

SHREWSBURY held out after Richard Walker was sent off after just 166 SECONDS.

Walker appeared to elbow Lincoln’s Danny Hone and referee Graham Scott had no hesitation in showing him a straight red.

But Lincoln could find no way through against promotion-chasing Shrews — although at least the result was an improvement on Tuesday night’s embarrassing FA Cup exit at the hands of Kettering.

Imps boss Peter Jackson said: “I did not see the sending-off but once he raised his arm in that situation he had to go.

“They had 10 men, but we just could not break them down and their keeper did not really have much to do in the first half.

“We put them under a lot of pressure in the second half but we just did not have that bit of luck we needed to get a goal.”

Lincoln full-back Lee Beevers fired into the side-netting and David Graham wasted two good chances. But their best chance fell to sub Ben Wright, whose shot was tipped away by Shrewsbury keeper Matt Gilks.

Shrewsbury boss Paul Simpson insisted he did not see Walker’s clash with Hone.

He said: “If Walks did use his elbow, then he has to go, but he isn’t that type at all.”

ROCHDALE 2, LUTON 0

LEE THORPE got Rochdale off to a flying start with a goal after just 94 seconds.

Clark Keltie’s free-kick set Scott Wiseman racing down the right and his cross was met by Thorpe’s diving header from close range.

Spotland striker Thorpe should have made it two when he was put through by midfielder Will Buckley, but lifted the ball over the bar.

Rock-bottom Luton offered little and were punished again on 59 minutes when Ian Roper pushed Rory McArdle and Adam Le Fondre powered the penalty home.

Hatters sub Dean Talbot finally forced a save out of Dale keeper Sam Russell with a header from Paul McVeigh’s 79th-minute cross.

ROTHERHAM 0, BRADFORD 2

TWO goals in five minutes lifted Stuart McCall’s Bradford into the top four.

Bantams looked like having to settle for a point at the Don Valley until Luke O’Brien and Nicky Law struck after the break.

O’Brien crowned his impressive performance when he broke the deadlock 20 minutes from the end.

He made a blistering run down the left and cut in before hitting a stunning shot that beat keeper David Stockdale — the former Darlington stopper who was making his Millers debut on loan from Fulham.

City keeper Rhys Evans pulled off a remarkable save moments later, turning Drewe Broughton’s header against the bar.

But City broke straight back up the other end and Law finished with emphatic strike.

WYCOMBE 4, PORT VALE 2

TWO goals apiece by Chris Zebroski and Matt Harrold put Wycombe back on top.

Harold put Peter Taylor’s side ahead with a 22nd-minute penalty after Lee Collins brought down Angelo Balanta and Zebroski made it 2-0 by half-time.

Vale pulled one back through Marc Richards six minutes after the restart before Zebroski restored the two-goal cushion on 64 minutes, poking home a deep cross from the right.

Midfielder Scott Brown got it back to 3-2 — but Harrold ended the visitors’ hopes of nicking a point eight minutes from time.

Boss Taylor said: “I’m delighted with the win — although we didn’t play particularly well.”Port Vale will be disappointed because they played some good football.”

BARNET 1, MACCLESFIELD 0

KEITH ALEXANDER praised his Macclesfield side after two late strikes sunk Barnet.

Francis Green and Nat Brown both scored in the final three minutes after the home side had dominated the second half.

Martin Gritton’s left-foot volley put Macc ahead before John O’Flynn hit a 59th-minute leveller which looked like earning a point.

Alexander said: “We should have come in at least three goals ahead at the break and I was worried after missing a number of chances. But we battled all the way.”

Barnet boss Paul Fairclough groaned: “We had so many good chances and it looked like there was only one team that was going to win.

“I just can’t believe we didn’t take anything from that game.”

BURY 4, GILLINGHAM 0

ALAN KNILL hailed recalled strike duo Andy Bishop and Glynn Hurst after they crushed Gillingham to get Bury’s season back on track.

The Shakers frontmen grabbed two goals apiece to halt a run of five straight home defeats.

Boss Knill said: “Bish was quality and I gave Hurst a chance and he was fantastic.”

Bishop pounced in the ninth minute, Hurst claimed his first of the season just before the break and the pair added two more in a five-minute burst around the hour.

Gills were even denied a late consolation when Wayne Brown saved Adam Miller’s penalty after the keeper had brought down Simeon Jackson.

But Knill warned: “Confidence is a fragile thing, it can go as quickly as it comes — now I’m after some consistency.”

CHESTER 0, ALDERSHOT 1

MARK WRIGHT’S slippery start as Chester boss continued with a second defeat in two matches.

Wright’s problems began even before kick-off when French midfielder Damien Mozika was crocked in the warm-up.

And his side were sunk by the only goal seven minutes from time when Shots striker Marvin Morgan scrambled home after defender Mark Hughes accidentally sliced a clearance against his own post.

It left City kicking themselves after Lawrence Wilson and Kevin Roberts both missed gilt-edged chances early on.

Wright insisted: “I thought we were unlucky not to have got a point from the game.

“But we need to bolster the squad before Thursday’s deadline for loan transfers.”

CHESTERFIELD 1, A STANLEY 1

JACK LESTER spared Accrington boss John Coleman a chilly day on the bench next weekend after his team drew.

Coleman pledged to wear a kilt at home to Bury if Stanley keeper Kenny Arthur made it three League clean sheets in a row.

But after two blanks, Arthur was finally beaten by the Chesterfield strikers’ eighth goal of the season with 14 minutes gone.

James Ryan pounced to grab the visitors a handy away point five minutes from time.

And Coleman insisted: “The bet stands — If Kenny keeps three consecutive clean sheets in the league, I’ll wear a kilt!”

DAG AND RED 6, NOTTS CO 1

PAUL BENSON bagged a hat-trick as Dagenham ran riot and sent County crashing to their biggest defeat of the season.

Ben Strevens set up Matt Ritchie’s ninth-minute opener, then scored No 2 himself with a low shot on 25 minutes.

Richard Butcher’s suicidal backpass let in Benson for his first just before the break. And Benson struck twice more in the second period — either side of Magnus Okuonghae’s header — to take his tally to 10 for the season.

Last week’s hat-trick hero Jonathan Forte scrambled a goal back for Notts — when the visitors were already five down.

MORECAMBE 1, EXETER 1

MANNY PANTHER grabbed an 85th-minute leveller as 10-man Exeter battled their way to an awayday point at Morecambe.

Sammy McIlroy’s side went in front on 22 minutes when Rene Howe cashed in on Dan Seabourne’s shocking backpass to score.

And Grecians were right up against it after Berti Cozic’s red card for a late tackle on Craig Stanley three minutes after half-time — only for Panther to curl in a cracker to level.

Exeter boss Paul Tisdale insisted: “We deserved a point because we rolled our sleeves up after we went down to 10 and really took the game to Morecambe. And Manny’s strike was special.”