DARLINGTON are now out of the play-off positions after they lost 3-0 at Brackley on Saturday.

The result, their seventh successive game without a win, put them below Alfreton on goal difference, but they can make up lost ground if they can win their game in hand against Curzon Ashton tomorrow night, and transform the pessimism that has descended upon the club.

But for next Saturday’s game against King’s Lynn it looks as if senior player and coach Danny Rose will be in charge, as manager Alun Armstrong and assistant manager Darren Holloway were both dismissed in the course of the game, and are facing a ban.

Player-coach Rose took charge of the last 30 minutes and because Armstrong wisely decided to remain tight-lipped and pass on post-match interview duties to him in the light of the situation, said; “Obviously, it wasn’t the result we wanted or prepared for. We did a lot of work in the week preparing for this game. I thought it was quite even in the first half and it could have gone either way and there were chances at both ends.

“But then we didn’t defend the long throw for their first goal correctly and we went in 1-0 down at half-time. The penalty in the second half was difficult to see from where we were, but that was a moment that tipped the game in their favour and it was difficult after that in terms of getting back into the game.

“There’s only one way that we can get ourselves out of this run, and that’s by sticking together and helping each other out. That’s the only way of getting some sort of result and putting some confidence back into the group.”

Quakers almost took the lead in the opening minutes. A nervous home defence let a forward pass by Nathan Newall to run into the box where Brackley keeper fumbled the ball, allowing Jacob Hazel to pick it up, get away from the keeper, but with a defender desperately trying to cover on the line, the striker put the ball into the side netting.

Brackley themselves nearly took the lead when keeper Tommy Taylor’s clearance went straight to Callum Stead, and the striker put his 40 yard effort wide of an open net.

Jordan Cullinane-Liburd fired straight at Taylor from a corner, then at the other end Lewis fisted away a curling free kick by Jarrett Rivers.

Quakers were growing in confidence, and Nathan Newall sidestepped a defender and fired across the face of goal on 18 minutes as Quakers’ confidence grew, and on 31 minutes they nearly broke through, with a 25 yard curler by Rivers that Lewis just managed to claw away for a corner.

But Brackley got the breakthrough on 41 minutes. A long throw from the right was only partly cleared, and the ball dropped for left back Glenn Walker, completely unmarked, to volley past Taylor.

The day became worse as the teams were walking off at half time when Holloway was shown two yellow cards for comments he made to the referee.

Jake Lawlor blocked a close range effort on the line from Stead at the start of the second half, and then Stead put another effort over the bar.

But then Brackley were awarded a penalty on 62 minutes when Sam Smart was challenged in the area by Jassem Sukar and went down in stages - Quakers claimed that he dived - and the referee pointed to the spot, much to Quakers’ understandable protests.

On the touchline, the manager made his feelings known to the assistant, who alerted the referee and showed him a straight red card, leaving Rose to look after the team from the technical area. Bates converted the penalty and put Brackley well in control.

Quakers were caught pushing up in the closing stages, and Theo Robinson sidefooted the third.