Crewe Alexandra 3 Darlington 0

WAS normal service resumed, or was it the inevitable consequence of throwing so many new players together and hardly playing for a month?

A full evaluation of Darlington’s team should not be made for another few weeks.

It will need time before we are able to decipher where Steve Staunton’s side are.

Following Saturday’s deserved defeat at Crewe Alexandra, the table says they are bottom and 14 points from safety.

But currently Quakers are either possessed with the potential to enjoy an improved second half of the season, or they are a collection of individuals no further forward from the shambolic 5-0 defeat at Torquay before Christmas.

The first 45 minutes on Saturday suggested the latter, whereas the second half offered encouragement.

That Torquay match was Quakers’ final game before a spate of postponements which was brought to an end last Tuesday with the shock win at Rotherham.

With a raft of new players in the ranks, suddenly there was genuine reason for hope.

By half-time on Saturday it was as if the win at Rotherham had never happened.

Those hopes suffered three huge blows during a catastrophic ten minutes as Crewe made it 3-0.

Quakers capitulated, unable to deal with forwards Calvin Zola, Joel Grant and Clayton Donaldson.

Zola nabbed the first on 25 minutes, tapping into an empty net after Donaldson’s deft effort had been stopped by Nick Liversedge. But that was only part of the story.

Because the strike came following a corner that Liversedge fumbled, not for the only time, and when the ball was returned Crewe’s forwards were not marked.

It was 2-0 when Grant netted after finding himself in space at the far post to meet Donaldson’s cross. He had evaded both Ian Miller and Alan White on the right to cross for Zola whose miss-hit shot fell to Grant.

The game was effectively over when Zola grabbed his second, again taking advantage of poor defending.

A left-wing cross appeared harmless, but the unmarked striker headed home and a repeat of the drubbing at Torquay looked likely.

Zola now has 13 league goals this season – three against Quakers having scored a late winner at the Arena in August – which is a fine return for a striker playing in a team that has spent much of the campaign halfway down the division.

But a furious Staunton preferred to draw attention to his own side’s failings, saying: “Zola is a good player but he will test you even more if you don’t compete against him, don’t be strong against him and don’t pick him up when you’re supposed to be marking him at corners. Space doesn’t score goals.

“We spoke about it before the game. We were lucky on Tuesday, we got away with one or two. I emphasised it but senior players still went to sleep.”

Staunton was frank and forthright, adding: “The first half was very disappointing, everything that could go wrong, did go wrong and we were lucky we were only three down.

“To say we were very shaky at the back would be an understatement.

Absolutely diabolical it was.

“There were people not taking responsibility. In the first 45 minutes nobody turned up so anybody could have come off at half-time. I made three changes but if I’d been allowed to use more subs I’d have used them as well.

“It was just nowhere near good enough.”

Staunton substituted Paul Arnison, Gary Smith and Jeff Smith, replacing them with right-back Simon Madden, winger Josh Gray and striker Patrick Dean.

Darlington improved too.

Gareth Waite stamped his authority in central midfield and Quakers appeared more threatening, though that Crewe were already three goals ahead was a factor.

Quakers’ Mor Diop had the best chance, but he rolled an effort wide from the edge of the area and by full-time the Rotherham win felt long ago.

Yet for the first time this season Quakers had kept the same XI that just four days previously had recorded their maiden away win.

“No disrespect, but that’s why players are playing at this level,” reasoned Staunton. “They haven’t got that consistency, we’re trying to get it.

“We’re playing catch-up on a number of fronts, one of which is fitness. If you’re not fit you can’t play three games in a week.

“I’m expecting after these first four games – before we have a midweek with no game – to be up to speed.”

Darlington’s next game is tomorrow evening’s home match with Northampton before Saturday’s crucial trip to 22nd placed Cheltenham.

Match facts

Goals:

1-0: Zola (25, tapped over the line after Donaldson’s effort had been deflected)

2-0: Grant (30, swept into the net at the back post following good work by Donaldson)

3-0: Zola (34, headed home a leftwing cross from ten yards)

Bookings: S Miller (86, foul) Referee: Andy Woolmer (Northamptonshire) – Only one contentious moment and that resulted in an entirely justified booking of Shaun Miller for sliding in on Quakers’ Nick Liversedge 8

Attendance: 3,717

Entertainment: ✰✰

CREWE ALEXANDRA (4-4-2):

Phillips 5; Brayford 6, O’Donnell 6, Mitchel-King 5 (Worley 23, 7), Tootle 7; Westwood 6, Schumacher 7, Walton 6; Grant 8 (Shelley 81), Donaldson 8 (Miller 61), ZOLA 8.

Subs (not used): Legzdins (gk), Moore, Murphy, Martin

DARLINGTON (4-4-2):

4 Liversedge: Needs to be rested as his handling of crosses continues to be a cause of concern;

4 Arnison: Made a goal-line clearance. Replaced at the break by new signing Simon Madden

5 White: Difficult first half, but a superbly-executed second half tackle kept the score down

5 Miller: Given a tough time before the break by Zola and Donaldson, almost handing Crewe the first goal

5 Giddings: Second goal came from his side of the pitch but otherwise looked solid;

7 WAITE: Combative style looked more suited to the central role he was moved to in second half to good affect

5 Dempsey: Looked to get on the ball and dictate play but unable to play any telling passes

5 G Smith: Subbed at the break though Staunton pointed out he was not one of the worst performers

4 J Smith: Did not contribute a great deal and no surprise he we was replaced at the break;

6 Diop: Involvement increased after the break and unfortunate not to score

5 Purcell: Disappointing display following goal at Rotherham. Switched to right-wing in second half

Subs:

Madden (for Arnison 45): Became the 47th different player used this season when he came on for his debut and will probably start tomorrow evening 6

Dean (for G Smith 45): Scottish striker showed a willingness to get on the ball but never had a chance to score 5

Gray (for J Smith 45): A more attacking option than J Smith, but unable to cause Crewe many problems 5

(not used): Jones (gk), Foster, Mulligan, Main

MAN OF THE MATCH

CALVIN Zola – Darlington never got to grips with the two-goal striker