Substitute Paul Dickov spared Manchester City's blushes with a superb equaliser as Darlington were denied a famous FA Cup victory at Feethams.

Once-mighty City were heading for a humiliating second round exit at the hands of the Third Division minnows when Dickov struck 13 minutes from time.

Darlington failed to clear a corner and the former Arsenal striker unleashed a rasping angled volley from the edge of the area to deservedly give City a second chance in the replay at Maine Road.

Dickov: Timely intervention

At the start of the 1990s Darlington were languishing in non-league football, while City sat proudly in the top flight.

But those days looked a long way off as the home side gave Joe Royle's men an almighty scare.

The North-Easterners looked to be heading into the third round draw on a dramatic night of cup tie football when veteran Gary Bennett put them in front in the first half.

The 37-year-old frontman nodded home from just a yard out in the 16th minute after Marco Gabbiadini's near-post flick from a corner had caused chaos in the City box.

Darlington keeper David Preece then kept his side ahead against the odds with a string of fine saves.

And Craig Russell and Andy Morisson missed clear chances as desperate City piled forward.

Shaun Goater should have levelled matters in the 67th minute when he was sent clear through, only to hit a weak shot straight at Preece's legs.

The Darlington keeper was then at full stretch to save Morisson's fierce header.

But once Dickov's strike had made it 1-1, Darlington still had chances to clinch victory.

With just four minutes left Glenn Naylor went down under Richard Edghill's challenge in the box. But the referee waved away Darlington's claims for a penalty and then sent off Steve Gaughan for protesting his decision.

Teams:

Darlington: Preece, Reed, Barnard, Liddle, Tutill, Bennett, Gaughan, Naylor, Dorner, Gabbiadini, Atkinson. Subs: Samways, Leech, Brumwell, Carter, Oliver.

Man City: Weaver, Edghill, Vaughan, Morrison, Wiekens, Crooks, Mason, Pollock, Goater, Taylor, Russell. Subs: Dickov, Wright, Brown, Bishop, Tiatto.