THERE can be no sugar-coating this one, no room for positive spin.

Darlington were dire, dumped out of the FA Cup by South Shields and the humiliating scoreline, 3-0 at home to a team two divisions below, is exactly what they deserved after a pitiful performance.

The booing at full-time was understandable too, and it would have been louder had so many frustrated fans not already left.

Several of the players will be heading for the exit too if Martin Gray gets his way. This was their last chance.

Supporters turned up in the hope of finally seeing Darlington start a long-awaited run in the FA Cup, a competition in which the club have an abysmal record, but instead witnessed a lethargic display lacking any determination whatsoever, with the visitors in control from start to finish.

There was little in the way of attacking threat as South Shields goalkeeper Jack Norton enjoyed an easy afternoon, and were it not for Quakers’ No. 1 Adam Bartlett the humiliation would have been greater.

Darlington have had some poor results and performances of late, but this was a shambles and South Shields, now with one defeat in 48 matches, made them pay.

“That’s the worst performance I’ve had as a Darlington manager in the five and a half years I’ve been in charge,” blasted Gray.

“Some very strong words were said in the changing room, we allowed the players to speak as well. Myself and the staff have had a very long debrief, we’re all accountable for what happened.

“It’s the first time I’ve questioned anyone in the club in five and a half years about the desire and hunger of what we’re about and that is a very big concern.”

He talked about making changes to the squad, saying: “Players will be leaving and players will be coming in. We’re here to get results and we’ve got to make changes to go forward.

“We’ve had a strong conversation and I won’t tolerate this.”

This was not a kneejerk reaction in the heat of the moment.

He spent an hour holding a post-match inquest, first in the changing room with the players, then in a separate room with coaches Brian Atkinson and Sean Gregan, before emerging to explain yet another early exit from the FA Cup.

Darlington have fallen at the first hurdle for the third year running, another chance for much-needed finance missed, and for the second season in a row to a team from two divisions below them.

Top-of-the-table South Shields will surely be promoted, an achievement Darlington will not be enjoying this season unless they buck their ideas up quickly – and install some covered seats, of course.

As each week goes by the win at Salford City on the first day of the season looks more like a fluke.

That game, however, saw Darlington select their best back four, and it should not be overlooked that they have suffered terribly with injuries.

Saturday saw Dom Collins suffer a recurrence of a groin strain in the warm-up, leading to Kevin Burgess being handed a last-minute reprieve after being dropped.

He partnered Terry Galbraith, whose foul on Jamie Holmes after seven minutes led to the first goal, Robbie Briggs’ free-kick flicked on by Jon Shaw for Dillon Morse to nod in.

Quakers could not get close to Julio Arca, Shields’ midfield metronome, but it was a turn in the centre of the pitch by Holmes that led to the second goal.

He played the ball out wide to former Quakers left-back Anthony Callaghan, whose low cross was turned home by Carl Finnigan.

Thereafter there was only one winner. Only 27 minutes had been played, but Darlington looked dead and buried.

There was no response, players hid, their brittle confidence having been shattered, and they did not want the ball, while buoyant Shields had chances to score seven or eight. Bartlett pulled off a number of good saves, among them a double stop in the second half to first deny Gavin Cogdon and then react quickly to smother the follow-up from Holmes.

He could not stop the third in injury time though. With Darlington pushing forward, Shields exploited space, Michael Richardson and Finnigan exchanging passes and Quakers obliging by allowing the latter to stroll through and slot home.

Gray added: “There’s no excuse for a lack of desire, a lack of passion, being brave on the ball, being brave off the ball.

“I saw one or two performances where lads gave me everything, but I saw eight or nine performances where lads didn’t give me anywhere near what our team is about.

“I’m not going to single players out, but there are players who haven’t worked hard enough.”

Bartlett and Phil Turnbull absolved themselves of blame with their performances, but some of their team-mates were passengers, not for the first time having little impact.

Gray cannot be faulted for players showing zero will to win, that should come from within.

However, ultimately he has signed all of these players, he picks the team and chooses the formation, although he was unable to select Nathan Cartman having allowed Farsley to use him in the FA Cup when on loan there.

That was not a wise move, and Cartman is sure to start this weekend at Boston, but how many of Saturday’s starting XI keep their place, or even stay at the club, remains to be seen.