Clitheroe 2 Darlington 1

If the wheels aren’t off, then the hubcaps are missing and the nuts have been loosened. Darlington’s season is stalling and threatening to breakdown altogether.

Their position of superiority has unravelled alarmingly, a flurry of defeats damaging title hopes and setting nerves jangling.

The table says they retain the upper hand - three points off leaders Salford City with two games in hand - but their form has nosedived worryingly.

Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Clitheroe was their fourth loss in eight matches. This from a team that had lost only twice in their previous 23 league fixtures.

The poor run began at the end of January with defeat at Salford, whose surprise but warmly-welcomed loss on Saturday brought solace as well as frustration.

Had Darlington defeated mid-table opposition that had won only two of their previous ten games then they would now be top. Instead, they’re in need of three points to restore confidence.

“We’re no worse off than we were at 3pm,” pointed out manager Martin Gray, attempting to maintain a positive frame of mind. “It could’ve been better, but what can we do? We have to make sure we win the next game.”

That’s at Heritage Park on Wednesday against Lancaster, Salford’s conquerors on Saturday, the first of three successive home games.

“Pressure comes into it,” added Gray. “There’s been a lot of unexpected results. Salford lost today. Nobody would’ve expected that. What’s the difference? A little bit of pressure and we’ve got to be able to handle it.

“The one thing I’ve prided myself on since I took over at the club is that the changing room is strong. I’ve got a good changing room, fantastic staff and there’s not one crack in there.

“Everybody is behind me, I’m behind them and we need the same from the fans as well.”

A call to arms was unnecessary when Darlington took the lead after only six minutes, David Dowson making the most of a slip by defender Roberto Bonaminio to calmly slot home.

A goal to the good, Quakers were in control for the most of the half. Goalkeeper Peter Jameson made a close-range save from Sefton Gonzales, but with Liam Hatch partnering Chris Hunter in the centre of defence, after Gary Brown failed a fitness test, Darlington were defensively strong while at the other end carved a couple of openings.

Dowson took the ball beyond a napping Bonaminio and cut inside but fired wide, while Graeme Armstrong got on the end of Quakers’ next effort with an off-target diving header.

Armstrong was selected ahead of Nathan Cartman, Gray explaining he wanted more height in the team.

But Darlington were punished on 41 minutes for their failure add to the scoreline when the hosts unexpectedly levelled after their first corner, centre-back Daniel Brady scoring at close-range.

“Sometimes you don’t get the rub of the green,” reflected Gray. “I thought the first half performance was really strong. We needed a second goal before half-time, but they got back into it when our keeper was blocked. It was a soft, soft goal.”

However, within 60 seconds Clitheroe keeper Peter Collinge made a fantastic save by tipping away Hatch’s flicked header at close-range and it was to prove pivotal.

After Darlington started the second period with Leon Scott shaving the outside of the post, they failed to generate a head of steam and from Clitheroe’s second corner of the half they won a penalty just after the hour when Armstrong handled, though Gray believed his striker was harshly treated by the referee.

He said: “Graeme’s hands were up, I don’t know why, but he got a push in the back. I don’t know if that’s what caused his hands to go up, but it’s not a penalty because he got a massive push.”

Gonzales scored his 15th goal of the season from the spot and Darlington failed to respond, despite Gray sending on Cartman and pushing Hatch up front.

Collinge was not put under any sustained pressure, though Hatch did hit the inside of the post.

With 15 minutes to go Cartman was at the centre of a flashpoint when Bonaminio was red-carded for violent conduct.

The defender connected with a forearm, but the ten men coped in the absence of any late surge from Darlington and there was never any danger of a repeat of last season at Clitheroe when Quakers won 3-2 with a last-minute goal.

“In the second half they had the penalty, but they didn’t really work my keeper until we went three at the back and really went for it,” said Gray.

“We’ve lost through two mistakes. They haven’t dominated play, that wasn’t the situation.

“The performance overall, it wasn’t a poor performance and I’d stand in front of anyone and say that. But we need to be better in both boxes.”

MATCH FACTS

Goals: Dowson (6, 0-1); Brady (41, 1-1); Gonzales pen (61, 2-1)

Bookings: Scott (18, foul); Brady (27, foul), Garner (51, foul); Armstrong (61, handball)

Sending-off: Bonaminio (75, violent conduct)

Referee: C Whitaker 7

Attendance: 538

Entertainment: 3/5

Clitheroe (4-4-2): Collinge 7; Morton 6, Bonaminio 7, Brady 6, Bamba 6; Burns 6, Garner 7 (Cattermole 70, 6), Dent 6, Walker 5 (Esdaille 80); Mayers 7, GONZALES 8. Subs (not used): Jackson, Dale, Palffy

Darlington (4-4-2): Jameson 6; A MITCHELL 7, Hatch 7, Hunter 7, Watson 6 (Mota 74); Thompson 5, Portas 6, Scott 6, Galbraith 5; Armstrong 6 (White 64, 6), Dowson 7 (Cartman 66, 5). Subs (not used): Bell (gk), Brown

MAN OF THE MATCH

SEFTON Gonzales – Gave Darlington’s defenders a tough game and scored the winning penalty