IF last week’s performance against leaders AFC Fylde was one to remember, Saturday’s showing was a day to forget for Darlington, and Peter Jameson in particular.

The team’s performances across the two games could not have been more different – brilliant one week, bang average the next.

Only a linesman’s flag prevented them from defeating the league leaders, whereas on Saturday they were beaten 2-0 by a mid-table team who had scored only 14 goals prior to Saturday.

The game was meandering to a 0-0 draw until Jameson’s moment of madness midway through the second half.

He conceded a penalty by head-butting Telford striker Dave Hibbert, albeit weakly, and warranted a red card that meant disaster for Darlington.

The penalty was scored by Josh Wilson and Telford soon added another goal against ten-man Quakers, who are left ruing what might have been.

The offside call versus Fylde was debatable, Jameson’s red card wasn’t, and he was mortified afterwards as he digested the consequences of his actions.

Manager Martin Gray admitted the dismissal had been key to the outcome of a result that sees Darlington drop to third, now seven points behind Fylde, who walloped Boston 9-2.

“I’m not happy with the performance. Certain players didn’t perform today whereas they did last week. That is going to happen from time to time,” said the manager, who wants to bring in a goalkeeper in time for next weekend.

“But you can’t allow that to happen too often because you will get caught out the longer the season goes on.

“Certain players – I don’t have to name names – didn’t deliver. They have delivered most weeks, it’s human nature not to sometimes. It’s about how we respond next week in the FA Trophy and make sure this is just a hiccup.”

He retained the 4-3-3 formation which had worked so well against Fylde but there was no continuation of last week’s swashbuckling performance, instead Darlington were disappointing, giving the ball away frequently and relying heavily on balls up to target-man Mark Beck.

Nonetheless, it was Gray’s side who had the clearer scoring opportunities in the first half and Stephen Thompson was often involved but to no great effect.

His cross teed up Beck, who headed tamely at James Montgomery. The goalkeeper, related to the Sunderland great, was not required to make any saves of 1973 vintage during Telford’s ninth clean sheet – eight more than Quakers.

On the cusp of half-time Darlington stepped up their game and came close to taking the lead.

They hit the post when a defender got a foot in to divert Dave Syers’ close-range shot, Phil Turnbull had his follow-up blocked by Gianluca Havern, and in injury time Beck put a free header over the bar.

It was a wasted opportunity, and Gray reflected: “There was nothing in the game. They weren’t better than us.

“We should’ve been 2-0 up at half-time as we had two great chances – Syers and Beck – score them and it’s a different game.

“We created enough to be winning, I honestly believe that. But we didn’t take them and that’s the difference between today and the Harrogate performance.

“We took our chances that day, that’s the key factor.”

The second half was not a great deal better. Telford’s Bradley Reid putting a free header over the bar was the cue for Gray to revert to 4-4-2 and send on Nathan Cartman, who soon flashed a header wide.

It was a moment of promise which lasted only briefly, as soon came Jameson’s rush of blood when collecting a headed back-pass.

Hibbert challenged aggressively, Jameson took the bait and Darlington paid the price.

He has not previously shown a propensity to become embroiled in such incidents, and he said: “I apologise to everyone related to the club, the players, the staff and fans, I let everyone down making a stupid decision.”

On 75 minutes it was game over. Darlington gave the ball away inside their own half, giving Reid an opportunity to blast beyond substitute goalkeeper Mark Bell from 20 yards.

Gray added: “If you get beat by outstanding play you say ‘fair enough, they were better than us’, but we created our own problems today.

“Not just the sending off, building up to that certain players didn’t produce.

“We’ve got to be more consistent and, to be fair, we have been consistent most of the season. We’re still third, it’s not the end of the world, but we are disappointed.

“It’s a one-off, I believe that. I have loads of belief in these players.”