Caine Elliott's last-minute goal was cancelled out by Grantham Town substitute Lewis Darlington deep into stoppage time in an action-packed ending to a draw at The Meres.

It had generally a fairly uneventful affair ahead of the late drama, but it looked as though Elliott had done the trick with his first goal since returning to the club in September only for the home side to finally see one of their long throw plays pay dividends.

Town's opening eleven showed just a solitary change from the one that had started at Lye the week before, with player-assistant Liam Francis into the heart of the defence in place of the suspended Josh Thomas.

Clear cut chances were few and far between in a scrappy first half, which was punctuated by long delays waiting for Grantham defender Sam Muggleton to trot from one side of the pitch to the other to launch his impressively long throws into the Valley box.

Luke Harris did shank a tame effort wide of the post after eleven minutes after he had done well to chest the ball down and go past Francis, with the visitors then seeing a goal chalked off shortly after when an offside call was made after Trey Charles slotted home Harrison Nee's knock-down to a Tyreace Brown punt into the box.

Brown then nearly fashioned something out of a Chris Clements' free-kick to the back post, before another set-piece from distance by Clements drifted just over the bar.

Luke Harris's unsuccessful acrobatic effort from a Grantham corner represented the only other significant opportunity of the opening period on a boggy surface that stifled any real quality of football.

Rugby offered a little more threat after the restart though, with Charles heading one over and also seeing a rising strike fly marginally above the frame, after he had shown a good touch and had swiftly ran past his marker.

Ayo Lekuti's low strike from 25 yards was comfortably saved by Curtis Hall, although there were potentially better options than shooting for the Valley full-back.

Charles then had a low shot saved by Hall after Clements had created an opening for him with some neat skill and an incisive pass, with shots from Tayo Tucker and Charles again both blocked as Town continued to knock on the Gingerbreads' door.

Charles also volleyed one over, before the hosts nearly broke the deadlock themselves when Hathaway kept out a point-blank angled strike from Harris after Francis had inadvertently flicked-on one of Muggleton's arrowed throws.

Tucker's first-time effort ballooned over the bar, with Nee the next miss out when he failed to get a proper connection to Charles's pass and was therefore unable to advantage of the dangerous position he had found himself in.

However, with the ninety minutes all but concluded, Elliott finished off a neatly dinked cross from Tucker to the delight of the Town bench and travelling supporters, but their joy soon turned to deflation when another throw from Muggleton eventually landed at the feet of Darlington to fire the ball through a crowded box and into the back of the net.

There was still time for a well-struck effort from Brown which flew over the bar, but this was ultimately the last kick of the game.

Valley Line-up: Hathaway; Summerfield, Lekuti, Francis, Brown; Clements, Sahota, Elliott; Arthur (Tucker 59'), Nee, Charles. Subs not used: Mensah, Osoimoejiokhian, Fitzharris, O'Toole. Booked: Nee.

Grantham Line-up: Hall, Ebanks, Adelekan, Muggleton, Black, Cook, Olivant, McGregor, Shodunke, Harris, Allen. Subs: Darlington, Bojang, Edgington, Gadomski.