In-form Lincoln hung on for a point after losing their way against Darlington.
The Imps, looking for their third consecutive league win, had any hopes of an easy ride dispelled early on as Darlington quickly took control.
And City were always chasing the game after the Quakers broke the deadlock midway through the first half.
Although Lincoln quickly levelled things Darlington wasted enough chances to have won easily.
The outcome might have been different if Lincoln had had some luck in the 12th minute.
Stuart Bimson almost caught out Andy Collett with a 30-yard free-kick but the Darlington keeper just managed to push the ball backwards onto his own bar and his defenders cleaned up.
Ian Clark set up the opening goal with a throughball which split the City defence leaving Barry Conlon with the easy chance of firing home his tenth goal of the season.
Ashley Nicholls wasted an easy chance 60 seconds later when he shot wide of the Lincoln goal with the home defence in disarray.
Lincoln keeper Alan Marriott pulled off a diving save to keep out Conlon before Lincoln drew level on the half-hour.
A quickly taken free-kick was worked to Bimson on the left. The defender fired the ball across and Collett could only parry straight into the path of Chris Ward who made no mistake from six yards.
Nicholls went on to waste two easy chances for Darlington but the Quakers' best chance of a winner came in the 52nd minute.
Ryan Valentine combined well with Conlon to set up Simon Betts. The defender was unmarked inside the six-yard box but somehow failed to find the target when it looked easier to score.
Lincoln put in a late spurt with Simon Weaver and Ben Futcher both heading over.
The aerial bombardment continued with Collett pushing away a late header from Futcher before throwing himself to his right to keep out a goalbound shot from Peter Gain.