A goal from former Darlington apprentice Mike Duff and a missed Lee Nogan penalty saw Darlington suffer their second defeat inside four days at Whaddon Road last night.

Quakers only had themselves to blame for not making sure of the points. They rode their luck a little in the first half but Nogan's miss on half-time cost them dear.

And for the second time in as many weeks Quakers finished the game with just ten men after Glenn Naylor was given his marching orders with just a few minutes left.

Neither side created much in the opening stages although Richard Hodgson making his full League debut for Darlington, was pretty busy down the left.

Quakers had to face a couple of corners after eight minutes, but Neil Aspin confidently headed the first away then keeper Frank Van Der Geest came off his line to punch away the second.

They had a great chance to take the lead after 15 minutes in a swift move from the halfway line, but Nogan forced Steve Book into a save low down to his left.

And Cheltenham could have opened the scoring if former Darlington striker Jason White did not put a free header from Duff's cross over the top.

Duff nearly broke through after 19 minutes when his hopeful left-foot shot took a deflection and the ball struck the post before bouncing into Van Der Geest's hands.

Quakers had another let- off after 22 minutes when Julian Alsop beat the defence to a right-wing cross and he poked the ball past the advancing Van Der Geest, but Martin Gray hooked the ball off the line.

Quakers had to re-shuffle after half an hour when Craig Liddle went off with a head injury for stitches and they nearly scored in his absence when a Hodgson corner was cleared as far as Paul Campbell whose curling shot from the edge of the area was held by Book.

Quakers then had loud appeals for a penalty turned down when Hodgson's angled drive seemed to be handled by Chris Banks, but referee Paul Taylor turned it down.

However, the referee upheld Quakers' next appeal when Richard Walker handled but Nogan placed the spot- kick too close to Book.

There was a stoppage in play just after the start of the second half when Book pointed out to the referee the goal net was loose and Cheltenham centre-half Mark Freeman managed to replace it properly.

Quakers looked composed at the start of the second half but there was an amazing incident after 62 minutes when Liddle and Naylor angrily pushed each other after the ball went out for a corner and referee Taylor had to calm them down.

Quakers regained their composure to nearly take the lead twice in as many minutes.

First Ton Kaak headed a good chance from Paul Heckingbottom straight at Book, then Nogan sent Campbell clear with just the keeper to beat but he shot wide.

Frenchman Lenit Zezu came on for Kaak after 69 minute and he nearly scored with his first touch of the ball, firing right-footed just over the top from a tight angle.

But Quakers fell behind after 77 minutes when Martin Devaney swung the ball in from the left for Duff to beat Van Der Geest from six yards.

A wretched night was completed with a minute left when Naylor was shown his second yellow card for a late challenge on Banks.