Darlington 0 Northwich Victoria 1

Darlington were knocked off the top spot as their faltering promotion hopes suffered yet another blow, beaten for the fourth time in six matches by Northwich Victoria.

The Vics got the only goal of the game early on direct from a corner, Iain Howard benefitting from slack defending to see the ball curl in from his delivery.

Thereafter the visitors adopted a defence-first policy and it worked perfectly as they rarely looked in danger, dealing comfortably with a high balls pumped forward by Darlington.

Instead of attempting to play through their promotion rivals, Graeme Armstrong was selected ahead of Nathan Cartman and Quakers tried a long-ball approach, but it brought little reward and it was another game when the absence of Amar Purewal, injured long-term, was sorely felt.

Northwich, notable for their number of tall players, fielded a five-man defence and supplemented their physical advantage when 6ft 4in sub Danny Meadowcroft entered the fray midway through the first half (for the injured Guy Ansah Palmer).

He played just in front of the defence, giving Darlington a formidable barrier to breakthrough.

Just before the hour manager Martin Gray made a double change, sending on the diminutive Nathan Cartman and Nelson Mota, for Leon Scott and David Dowson, but they could not turn the game in Quakers’ favour.

Mota, on the left wing, saw little of the ball, though Cartman was not far away from getting to the ball when goalkeeper Tim Deasy spilled a Liam Hatch shot. But referee Marc Edwards awarded a free-kick for Cartman’s challenge, and Deasy claimed to require treatment, though Darlington supporters questioned the legitimacy of his injury. He was booked for time-wasting for a separate offence later on.

Edwards, although generally on the ball, also erred when awarding Northwich a goal kick despite the ball clearly coming off lanky striker Richard Bennett last.

But it was not the referee’s fault that Darlington lost, they simply had no answer to Northwich’s physicality and organised defending, which succeeded in nullifying an attack short on ideas.

Deasy had few saves to make against a Darlington side that finished the contest with four men up front in Armstrong, Hatch, Cartman and sub Gary Brown.

Quakers had strong penalty appeals for handball late on, but they were waved away and the result means that both sides are now level in second place, trailing leaders Salford City by three points.

Darlington’s next match is next Saturday at Heritage Park against Prescot Cables.

Goal: Howard (5, 0-1)

Booking: Deasy (90, time wasting)

Referee: Marc Edwards (Gateshead)

Attendance: 1,112

Darlington: Jameson; A Mitchell, Hatch, Hunter, Watson (Brown 87); Thompson, Portas, Scott (Mota 58), Galbraith; Armstrong, Dowson (Cartman 58). Subs (not used): Bell (gk), Young, Brown

Northwich Victoria: Deasy; Smalley, Clarke, Henry, Ali; Cook, Howard, Palmer (Meadowcroft 26), Grayson (Fishwick 46); Burnett, Bennett (Natachemendes 89). Subs (not used): Smith (gk), Amis