TOMMY WRIGHT has now lost both of his games since becoming Darlington manager after Brackley took the points at Blackwell Meadows.

The Northamptonshire club were fully deserving of victory, on top for the bulk of the contest, which was Wright’s first since being appointed Quakers’ boss a fortnight ago.

His first game was a 3-1 defeat last Saturday at Blyth Spartans, with today’s fixture his first at Blackwell, but there were no home comforts as Darlington lost 3-0 and were a long second best against one of the promotion chasers.

Brackley have lost just two league games this season, while Quakers put in a deeply disappointing display.

They made only one change, James Caton for Dave Syers, from the team which did well in spells at Blyth, but there was little to cheer for Quakers supporters as their team lost for the seventh time this season.

Quakers were weak in attack, and after what had been an uneventful start with little action at either end, Darlington gifted Brackley the lead on 19 minutes.

Adam Walker dispossessed Phil Turnbull after goalkeeper Adam Bartlett put his team-mate under pressure with a first-time pass to the midfielder who was immediately under pressure.

Walker crossed to the far post where Andy Brown scored with a stooping header.

From that point the game changed from being uneventful to one-way traffic, Brackley forcing a number of chances.

Bartlett gathered the ball at the second attempt after saving Aaron Williams’ free-kick, and then defender Connor Franklin got forward to fire in a low shot that took a deflection to go wide.

Brown should have had a second goal, the striker shooting horribly wide with all the goal to aim at after Walker had pulled the ball back from byline.

With Brackley seeing a lot more of the ball and a limited Darlington failing to have a meaningful attack, the visitors looked likely to score a second goal, and it finally came on 42 minutes.

It came from the boot of Aaron Williams, scoring for the eighth game in a row, but Quakers were incensed as Stephen Thompson appeared to be fouled in the build-up.

Walker fouled the Darlington man, leading to protests from Quakers, but referee James Bell played on, Shane Byrne dribbling into the penalty area where he laid the ball off for Williams to score.

It was the limpest Darlington half since losing to South Shields in the FA Cup, and a big difference compared to the promising first 45 last week at Blyth Spartans.

Seven days ago Darlington led 1-0 at the break, but Brackley, playing a 3-5-2 formation, dealt comfortably with Wright’s team, the closest the home team coming to scoring being when goalkeeper Danny Lewis had to dive to his right to keep out a flicked header by team-mate Shane Byrne when Turnbull launched a free-kick into the penalty area.

It was almost 3-0 soon after the restart when Williams thundered a shot against the crossbar, before Darlington had a brief spell when they demonstrated that they had not given up hope of salvaging something from the contest.

Tom Portas and James Caton both had shots blocked after a Galbraith free-kick, won when a Thompson cross had been handled.

But normal service was soon resumed, Brackley’s Brown hitting the bar with a header after Williams played the ball back across following a left-wing cross.

And then Bartlett saved a Brown header at close-range after a left-wing cross by Walker.

Brackley sealed victory when they made it 3-0 with ten minutes to go.

After prolonged period of passing, Glenn Walker getting down the left and cross for Ellis Myles to drive home in off the post.

Substitute Harvey Saunders almost pulled one back in the final minute, lobbing the onrushing goalkeeper when seizing on a back-pass, but he was off target with the effort.

Goals: Brown (19, 0-1), Williams (42, 0-2), Myles (80, 0-3)

Bookings: Thompson (47, foul); J Byrne (71, foul); Wheatley (89, foul)

Referee: James Bell

Attendance: 1,267

Darlington (4-5-1): Bartlett; Marrs, Collins (Burgess 62), Galbraith, Scott; Thompson, Portas, Turnbull, Gillies (Wheatley 68); Caton; Cartman (Saunders 81). Subs not used: Wilczynski (gk), Syers

Brackley Town (3-5-2): Lewis; Franklin, Graham Dean; Myles, S Byrne, J Byrne (Armson 74), G Walker, A Walker (Lowe 83); Williams, Brown (Ndlovu 79). Subs not used: Diggin, Tilney