Despite dominating play in this game, Darwen failed to capitalise due to both poor finishing and resolute defending by their opponents.

Leek's first clear chance emerged on 14 minutes later, when Machin outpaced the home defence, and slotted the ball past the advancing Nathan Worrell in goal, but the ball slid by the left post.

Another ten minutes went by before Darwen created a good opportunity.

Chris Pearson chipped a pass to Jon Stephenson. The striker opened up the away defence with a neat lay-off to onrushing Matt Haworth.

It was a great opportunity to open the scoring, but the youngster's strike from the edge of the area went wide.

After soaking up most of the pressure in the first half, the visitors took the lead three minutes before the break.

McMullen put over a cross, and Machin managed to hook his left boot onto the ball, and it trickled into the left corner of the net.

The home side came close to levelling the game just before the half-time whistle.

A Darwen throw from the left was hooked on by Jon Stephenson into the path of Reece Rowinski.

His powerful shot was met with a splendid save by Deaville in the Leek goal.

Only desperate defending by the visitors kept them in front.

With most of the home side's players camped in the opponents' half, striving to square the match, the inevitable happened with four minutes to go, with Machin lobbing the ball into the empty net from fully 30 yards out.