Final score: Darlington 0 Salford City 1

Following a run of only one win in seven games in all competitions and already now eight points off the top of the table, Martin Gray feels it’s time for change.

The Darlington manager says he wants to bring in two or three players to ‘freshen things up’ following a stuttering start to a season that began with them second favourites for promotion.

The favourites, Salford City, are living up to their billing having won six of their seven matches, the latest being a 1-0 victory at Heritage Park on Saturday when goalkeeper Jay Lynch did not have a save to make.

Darlington did not possess the creativity required. Without the injured Terry Galbraith, Amar Purewal, David Dowson or Stephen Thompson, they were ordinary and the performance, though not lacking in effort, led to some strong words from Quakers’ boss.

“It’s up to people to show what they’re made of,” said Gray. “I won’t rest on my laurels, I want the best. Certain individuals have got to look at themselves. Are they doing enough? If they’re not I will move them on.

“You’re looking for character, you’re looking at the mentality of individuals, do they have the hunger, the desire to win matches. It comes down to pride in yourself and if you haven’t got that then you won’t work with me.”

While much better than some of the slipshod displays this season, such as the second half at Blyth last Tuesday, Gray was intentionally blunt in his post-match inquest, perhaps looking for a reaction.

Stand-in left-back Leon Scott was praised, however, with the manager saying: “He’s a winner and he’ll fight all the way for you. It’s hard to find those type of men these days – Tom Portas was great again today – and you need more of that mentality, players that can stick in and scrap.”

He added: “We’re looking to freshen the squad up and we’re going to work really hard during this next week to bring players in.

“We need to take the club forward. That’s our job, you should never sit on what you’ve got. We’ve had a reasonable start to the season, there’s still a long way to go, but we need to freshen things up.

“I wouldn’t want to say in which areas of the squad, you’ll see in the next week or two.”

It is unlikely Gray will sign anyone before tomorrow’s trip to Radcliffe Borough when it is hoped some of the aforementioned injured players can return.

There was endeavour but not quality from Quakers, whereas the financial investment courtesy of the Class of 92 was evident in Salford, who feature players that have played several levels higher.

They had the ability to move the ball around quickly, ceded few chances and were clinical enough to take one of their opportunities, scored by former Leeds United striker Danny Webber on 34 minutes.

It was a lovely finish, dinked over Peter Jameson after running onto Dale Johnson’s weighted through-ball which carved open the centre of a Darlington defence that otherwise dealt well with Webber.

Quakers winger Adam Mitchell caused a few moments of excitement that ultimately came to nothing and striker Nathan Fisher, one of five changes, saw a volley blocked on the line by Paul Linwood, a wily former Football League defender with Grimsby and Fleetwood.

After the break, when Salford were content to soak up pressure, Alan White had a header cleared off the line and the defender was later sent up front as Quakers finished with three at the back.

Substitute strikers Liam Hatch and Ryan Noble were sent on to differing affect. Hatch was his usual combative self, but it’s unlikely Gray will give Noble too many more opportunities.

Gray sought to take positives from a second league defeat of the season.

He said: “The quality wasn’t there to open them up and that’s down to lack of personnel. When you’ve got as many players missing as we have it can only make it difficult.

“We had five or six lads who could’ve started all missing, big players, but there was plenty of effort there.

“Salford had two or three shots over the game, it’s not as if they’ve created loads of chances and dominated the game, that wasn’t the case.

“We had two cleared off the line, Fisher in the first half and White in the second half. Nothing seemed to drop for us. We went direct in the last 20 minutes, hoping something would drop, and to be fair to Salford they defended their box really well.

“They knew they’d been in a game there’s no question about that. But you always take defeats badly and look to see what you can do to improve.”

Goals: Webber (34, 0-1)

Bookings: Jameson (19, unsporting behaviour); Johnson (54, foul); Edgehill (69, foul)

Referee: P Keogh (Blyth) 6

Attendance: 1,013

Entertainment: PPP

Darlington (4-3-3): Jameson 7; Brown 7, White 7, Hunter 7, Scott 7; Robinson 5 (Noble, 59, 4), PORTAS 8, Reed 5; Fisher 6, A Mitchell 6, Armstrong 6 (Hatch 57, 6). Subs (not used): Bell (gk), Scarr, Cocks

Salford City (4-3-3): J Lynch 6; Edgehill 7, C Lynch 7, Linwood 7, Moss 7; PLATT 8, Dunn 7, Rother 7; Johnson 6 (Brown 73), Webber 7 (Walters 88), Madeley 7 (Wiles 55). Subs (not used): Smith, Messer

MAN OF THE MATCH

Nicky Platt – Economical in possession, keeping the ball moving in the centre of the pitch