Perhaps Darlington's only way around avoiding such inept displays as Paul Danson's poor excuse for refereeing on Saturday is to achieve chairman George Reynolds' dream of Premiership football.

Former Premiership man-in-the-middle Danson was demoted to the Nationwide League following a string of less than convincing displays.

And now the Leicester official is making a name for himself at places like Torquay rather than Tottenham, and again it's for all the wrong reasons.

Maybe Mr Danson should take a leaf out of Kevin Keegan's book - after Keegan's last game in charge of England - and hold his hands up and admit he is simply not up to the task.

But the embarrassment of being kicked out of the Premiership is clearly not enough for Danson, who is now wreaking havoc throughout the Nationwide Leagues.

It took Danson just 31 minutes to dish out his 13th red card of the season when he harshly dismissed Quakers defender Stuart Whitehead.

Gulls striker Martin Gritton went down like a sack of potatoes in the box under the most minimal of touches from Whitehead and while a penalty may have been slightly unlucky the sending off was almost comical, although Whitehead wasn't laughing. Only moments earlier Gritton had drew his side level when he slotted home a hotly disputed Alex Russell free-kick, which was awarded after Simon Betts appeared to win the ball cleanly on the edge of the box.

And Tait fumed afterwards: "We can't get away with the fact the referee robbed us today.

"I know we should have defended better but the free-kick which led to their goal was never a free-kick in the first place.

"And then there was the penalty where there was no contact so how on earth do you give that?

"If somebody goes down does he feel he has to give a penalty?

"He's got to see something before he gives a penalty and he obviously couldn't see anything happen because nothing did.

"It's absolute nonsense really."

Had Quakers not been forced to play for over an hour with ten men they may well have got at least a point from a game they looked more than capable of getting something from after Barry Conlon's 18th minute opener.

But no sooner had Conlon, making his return after a three-match suspension, volleyed his side into the lead, Leroy Rosenior's side found themselves 2-1 up courtesy of Mr Danson.

And just seven minutes before half-time Gulls skipper David Woozley put the game beyond Quakers when he headed home Kevin Hill's cross.

Defender Matt Clarke, whose goalscoring exploits had earned Quakers a 2-1 win over Kidderminster a week earlier, kept his place in attack alongside Conlon, with on-loan striker Richard Offiong dropping to the bench.

There was also a place in the starting 11 too for Neil Wainwright, returning after a one-match suspension, replacing Gary Pearson as Tait reverted to a 4-4-2 formation.

Gulls winger Tony Bedeau, who proved a real handful when the sides met just four weeks earlier in a 1-1 draw at Feethams, produced the game's first opportunity when he raced past Ashley Nicholls before ballooning over the bar in the ninth minute.

Three minutes later Gritton flashed a shot wide after shaking off Simon Betts down the left.

However it was Quakers who found the net first thanks to a flash of brilliance from Conlon.

Ryan Valentine's cross was headed away by defender Lee Canoville only as far as the big Irishman who volleyed first time left-footed past Kevin Dearden from the edge of the area.

Quakers' lead lasted just four minutes when Russell's free-kick from the left was converted from close range by Gritton.

Russell then controversially made it two from the spot and on 37 minutes Woozley grabbed only his second goal of the season with a well-placed header past the despairing dive of Collett.

Bedeau almost made it four just before half-time only to see his goal-bound effort cleared off the line by Clarke.

It took Torquay just 25 seconds to record their first effort on goal in the second half when former Arsenal youngster Jo Kuffour fired straight at Collett, who could only push away the strikers low drive. At the other end skipper Craig Liddle may have felt he should have done better with a header he put straight into the grateful arms of Dearden.

And Maddison, who was later to withdraw with a thigh injury, then saw his effort from 20 yards comfortably saved by Dearden.

Nicholls was then presented with a glorious opportunity with 15 minutes left when he broke clear but with just Dearden to beat he sent his shot straight at the Gulls keeper.

A goal at this stage may have made for an interesting finale but the task they had been set perhaps by Danson after Whitehead's first half dismissal was just too great.

Result: Torquay United 3 Darlington 1.

Read more about the Quakers here.