It was at the request of fans that the Last of the Summer Wine theme tune made a nostalgic return on Saturday, and just like the comical mishaps of Compo and co, for all their good intentions, Darlington fell flat on their face.

Britain's longest-running sitcom brought many laughs during 30 years of mischief in the Yorkshire Pennines, although manager David Hodgson offered few smiles at the weekend - more the grimace of Nora Batty.

And who could blame him?

His Darlington side weren't in any way outplayed by an equally poor Oxford side, yet Brian Talbot's men somehow managed to leave the North-East with three points.

Skipper Matt Clarke found himself at the forefront of Darlington's demise. Just like the old carefree duffers of Holmfirth, fellow Yorkshireman Clarke found himself in some equally decidedly sticky situations.

After 67 minutes of no-nonsense defending, Clarke inexplicably took matters in to his own hands in dealing with an Oxford attack, which had seemingly ran its course.

Instead of the usual hoof up field, Clarke's attempt to bring the ball down went horribly wrong. Clumsily losing out to Craig Davies on the by-line, the substitute raced away and with in a matter of seconds, Eric Sabin had the ball in the back of the net.

And, nine minutes later, Clarke's slack pass was picked up again by Davies, who, after glancing past a hesitant Shelton Martis and onrushing Sam Russell, was able to tap into an empty net.

Substitute Adrian Webster's 79th minute strike proved little more than a consolation as Hodgson rued only Darlington's second defeat - both at home - of the season.

"We spent Friday in training going through certain aspects of certain individuals' games," said Hodgson. "In reference to Matt, I asked him 'Why do you try to bring things down in areas when you can easily put it down the other end of the pitch to give their defenders something to think about?'

"I don't know where it goes, but it obviously goes in one ear and out the next.

"Matt created pressure on himself for the first goal and then we go and give them a second goal just for good measure.

"It's absolutely ludicrous."

Before Clarke's calamities, Darlington's back-line was rarely stretched and never looked like succumbing to a side which had previously won just once all season.

But if Darlington are to realise their League Two aspirations this season then the 12 goals conceded already need addressing before Hodgson's men are left behind.

"We have got to start keeping clean sheets," said Hodgson. "It's getting to the stage where we're finding ourselves in situations where we're left chasing games and having to claw back.

"I'm not being disrespectful to Oxford, but they never created a single thing in 90 minutes."

A truly forgettable afternoon may have been most notable for Darlington's defensive time bomb, but even in other areas, Hodgson has plenty to chew over before Saturday's test at struggling Bristol Rovers.

It took five games before Hodgson finally lost patience with Clyde Wijnhard and dropped him. Simon Johnson may be taking a similar route unless the instruction to release the ball earlier finally hits home.

Hodgson has no doubt in the ability of Johnson but the 22-year-old's tendency to run down a blind alley before losing possession is an increasing cause for concern.

The preacher of ball retention, Hodgson has the tools - in Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu and Wijnhard - to wield the axe.

With just nine games played, it is less than ideal that Hodgson is already contemplating changes. But from Saturday's show, he may have no choice at the Memorial Ground.

With Jonjo Dickman missing through injury, the partnership of Matty Appleby and Anthony Peacock in central midfield was an unlikely one and one which rarely looked like taking the game by the scruff of the neck.

Predictably, Quakers' most dangerous attacking outlet was Carlos Logan. But, while the 19-year-old fills the terraces with anticipation every time he gets near the ball, the attacking impetus shouldn't rest solely on a player, who, at this rate, will suffer burnout before his 20th birthday in November.

Not even the return of Russell, after a five-match absence, could spare Darlington's blushes. The 11 goals conceded by Bert Bossu ensured a warm return for Russell, who was applauded on his first touch in the seventh minute.

On the quarter-hour mark Logan had a good shout for a penalty, but referee Phil Joslin didn't feel Chris Willmott's challenge was an illegal one.

Minutes later Oxford should have been one-up, but thankfully, a defender was on the end of Chris Hackett's cross as Leo Roget somehow managed to stab his three-yard effort high over.

Chances continued at either end and, latching on to Ryan Valentine's threaded through pass, Billy Turley - sacked by Rushden last season for failing a drugs test - saved well from Logan.

Moment of the game belonged to the pint-sized Peacock in the 37th minute. Winning the ball twice in quick succession from two Oxford midfielders, he played Akpo Sodje through on goal, but the striker could only put his low effort wide.

As decisions from Joslin - the official whose controversial decision helped Yeovil earn an FA Cup replay against Quakers last season - continued to cause bewilderment.

Hodgson borrowed Talbot's glasses and offered them to the assistant referee, whose offside decisions were causing equal amusement.

After Sodje almost cleared the stand with a wild effort early in the second half, only inches denied Webster a goal when Turley looked beaten by his left-foot volley.

But, after Russell saved bravely at the feet of Hackett, Oxford were soon one up through Clarke's first mistake.

And, after Sabin had fired into the roof of Russell's net at the back post, Davies put the game beyond Quakers to cap a match-winning second half display.

Webster pulled a goal back, but by then the damage had been done.

Result: Darlington 1 Oxford United 2.

Read more about the Quakers here.