Notts County remained unbeaten in League Two thanks to Richard Butcher's injury-time equaliser at Darlington, with the midfielder hitting a brace.

An action-packed first half saw the home side hit the woodwork twice and have a goal disallowed before Tommy Wright gave them the lead five minutes before the interval. Jay Smith, Richard Butcher and Neil MacKenzie all came close for the Magpies prior to the striker's opening goal.

The second period saw Notts look in control for long spells, and after enjoying a good spell of pressure the Magpies drew level with eighteen minutes to go through Butcher who turned home Andy Parkinson's right-wing cross.

However Notts' hearts were broken as Miller popped up at the far post to head deep cross following a corner towards goal, and although the effort appeared to have been cleared off the line the goal was given. But, Butcher saved the day in the third minute of injury time by volleying home Matt Somner's cross to send the Notts fans, management and staff wild at the 96.6 TFM Arena.

Notts reverted to 4-4-2 for the first time this season, with Austin McCann and Spencer Weir-Daley called into the team. The suspended Jason Lee was missing, while Matt Somner dropped to the bench while Jay Smith was also handed a starting berth with Andy Parkinson dropping to the bench.

Darlington named former Notts duo Alan White and Chris Palmer in their starting line-up, with White the Notts hero at the 96.6 TFM Arena last season with a towering header late on to win the game.

It was the home side who kicked the game off in the warm summer sunshine, but it was the home side who almost got lucky from a shaky moment in the Notts defence three minutes in. Austin McCann's back-pass was short and almost let Abbott clear on goal for the Quakers, but Pilkington was quickly off his line to clear the ball.

Moments later the Magpies survived another scare. A ball into the box found its way to Wright at the back post for Darlington to laid the ball to the edge of the box where McBride drove a shot low and hard towards goal from just inside the box which Pilkington tipped onto the post and in the middle of a goalmouth scramble the Notts goalkeeper somehow dived on the ball under heavy pressure from a number of Darlington attackers and Notts defenders.

A few minutes later the home side thought they had the lead as a cross from the left was turned onto his own crossbar by Adam Tann, and then forced over the line by Pawel Abbott. However, with the home fans celebrating the Referee Mr Walton ruled the goal out, seemingly for handball by Abbott who was booked as a result.

At the other end Jay Smith drove a long-range effort just wide as Notts began to force the issue from an attacking point of view, while after Stockdale spilled a cross from the left Butcher chipped the ball just over the bar from around twelve yards out under pressure from ex-Notts defender Alan White.

Pilkington, sporting his new all-orange goalkeeper's top this afternoon, made a fine save low to his right on twenty minutes. He found himself in space on the edge of the box after Tann's clearance from Palmer's cross fell into his path, but the Notts goalkeeper was equal to the striker's powerful volley and he turned the ball away and Canoville cleared.

With decisions going against Darlington the home fans were quickly turning on Referee Walton's back, and by the 25-minute mark the game had settled down somewhat with the next real piece of action a fine block by Hunt from Cummins' shot on 33 minutes.

The home side finally broke Notts' resistance five minutes before the break, and it was the lively Tommy Wright who broke the deadlock. The striker had the ball presented into his path by his strike partner Abbott who did all the donkey-work to work the ball to the former Barnsley man twelve yards out, and he slammed the ball past Pilkington and into the far corner to give the home side the lead.

MacKenzie's long-range effort tested Stockdale before the break, but he was equal to the shot from the player who turned down Darlington's advances in the summer in favour of a move to Meadow Lane.

Half-Time: Darlington 1-0 Notts County

Neither side made changes at the break, and it was the home side who almost extended their advantage five minutes into the second period but Pilkington tipped Tim Ryan's powerful long-range effort over the bar for the first corner of the game.

Going forwards the intelligence of Dudfield and the speed of Weir-Daley were combining well, but Weir-Daley was taking part in his first full competitive game from the start in Notts colours following a pre-season muscle injury and he was replaced by Andy Parkinson on the hour to provide fresh legs to the team.

Jay Smith flashed an effort wide from the edge of the box just after Parkinson's introduction, and Notts were having their best spell of the game with plenty of the ball by this stage.

Dudfield had a shot blocked with twenty minutes to go from inside the box which looked destined for the net after Mayo headed Butcher's cross back into the mix, and it was the midfielder who drew Notts level on 72 minutes. Parkinson got the ball at his feet on the inside-right of the penalty area, and he turned Foster smartly to fizz a low ball across the six yard box where Butcher arrived bag on time to slide the ball into the back of the net for his second goal in as many games.

Notts were making the pressure count and they almost went 2-1 ahead after fine work by Parkinson with fifteen to go. His fine footwork created an opening for Smith whose effort took a wicked deflection off a Darlington defender and was heading towards the top corner until Stockdale dived across his goal to turn the ball behind for a corner.

Darlington were rocked and the pendulum had well and truly swing in Notts' favour, and Notts made another change to try and shore things up at the back with Silk on for Canoville at right back in the final fifteen minutes and provide more energy down the right while Somner replaced MacKenzie in midfield late on.

Pilkington had endured a very quiet second half after a busy first period, and he proved his concentration levels were still high with five to get down low to tip Wainwright's low effort away for a corner, but it was from that flag-kick that the home side regained the lead.

A deep cross by Joachim found its way to substitute Miller six yards out where he headed the ball towards goal, and although the effort looked to have been cleared off the line by McCann the Referee gave the goal and the home side set off in celebration.

The goal was totally against the run of play given the Magpies' dominance in the second period, and it was certainly rough justice on Steve Thompson's men. Notts' efforts and persistance paid off deep into injury time with the home fans praying for the final whistle one final ball was hurled into the Darlington box and Butcher met the ball with a firm right-foot volley low into the bottom corner to send the travelling fans and players wild.

Steve Thompson's men remain unbeaten and just show they never know when to throw the towel in.

Full Time: Darlington 2-2 Notts County

Darlington: Stockdale, Ryan, White, Foster (C), Cummins, Abbott (Blundell 80), Purdie, Joachim, McBride (Miller 80), Wright, Palmer (Wainwright 64).
Subs Not Used: Oakes, Harty.
Booked: Abbott.
Sent Off: None.
Goals: Wright (40), Miller (85).

Notts County: Pilkington, Canoville (Silk 77), Tann, Hunt (C), McCann, Smith, MacKenzie (Somner 82), Butcher, Mayo, Weir-Daley (Parkinson 59), Dudfield.
Subs Not Used: Sandercombe, Sam.
Booked: Smith.
Sent Off: None.
Goals: Butcher (72, 90).

Match Referee: Mr P Walton

Attendance: 3,763

nottscountyfc.co.uk Man of the Match: Jay Smith