Northampton arrived with a somewhat patched up side but they should have won this game easily and at the end the visitors were disappointed not to take all three points.
The fact that Darlington keeper Sam Russell was nominated as man of the match speaks volumes for the performance of the visitors who kept the home defence on their toes for the whole 90 minutes.
Liveliest was Steve Morison for the visitors, who only learnt that he was in the starting line-up the night before the game. Morison missed a couple of good opportunities but was mostly denied by the excellence of Russell.
Northampton forced nine corners in the opening 20 minutes of the game but the couldn't make the breakthrough and rather surprisingly it was Darlington who struck first with their first real attack in the 23rd minute.
Craig Hignett, on his home debut and after scoring away at Rochdale last weekend, made it two out of two with a low drive from ten yards.
In the 27th minute Hignett received a standing ovation when he was replaced by Mark Convery.
In the 32nd minute Northampton almost equalised but Morison fired wide after being set up by Tom Youngs.
Early in the second half the home side went close to doubling their advantage but Alun Armstrong was denied by Town keeper Paul Rachubka.
In the 52nd minute Morison went agonisingly close again, but just 60 seconds later he at last found the back of the net.
Josh Low crossed from the right flank and found Morison unmarked in the area and this time Russell was beaten as the ball landed in the far corner of the net.
Both sides had chances to win it at the death.
In the 90th minute Youngs somehow put the ball over the bar from six yards out and then in time added on Darlington defender Matt Clarke saw his goalbound header saved by Rachubka.