Darlington skipper Craig Liddle has fired an angry broadside at the Southend club doctor who kept him off the pitch for over ten minutes in Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Roots Hall.

Liddle was forced to leave the field towards the end of the first half after sustaining a deep cut above the lip after an accidental clash with a Southend player.

The wound required stitches and in the time Liddle was in the dressing room receiving treatment, ten-man Quakers, playing with one defender less, conceded twice in the space of two minutes.

"The doctor has done us no favours whatsoever," said Liddle.

"He's deliberately took his time to keep me off until half-time and in that time they've scored two goals.

"I know it was only ten minutes, but at the end of the day the officials are there to help both sides and he hasn't done it.

"I wanted to stay on until half-time but the ref wouldn't let me.

"When I've gone in it's taken ages and it's worked in Southend's favour."

Liddle's brief departure from the game perhaps proves just how important the captain is to his side because with 11 men Quakers rarely looked troubled by a poor Southend side which had previously lost six of its last seven League games.

"They hardly created anything, but in that time where I've went off they've went and scored a couple," said Liddle.

"It's really disappointing to lose in that manner.

"We would have taken a point beforehand and that would have taken some pressure off us.

"We were certainly good enough for at least a draw.

"I think both sides were poor in the first half, but we stepped up a little bit in the second and created quite a few chances.

"Again it's gone against us, but what can you do?"

The weekend's results mean that Quakers remain seven points clear of the relegation zone with five games to play.

And three points against Shrewsbury on Saturday should guarantee League safety according to Liddle.

"We still need another win to make sure we're safe," said Liddle.

"It's not going to be easy against Shrewsbury because they're another team fighting for their lives.

"But saying that, it is a win-able game and hopefully we can pick three points up which should be enough for us."

Read more about the Quakers here.