DARLINGTON’S dismal season reached a new low when they were beaten by bottom-of-the-table Nuneaton Borough.

The visitors at Blackwell Meadows had won only twice all season and went into the contest with a goal difference of minus 25.

But new manager Jimmy Ginnelly, appointed by Nuneaton on Thursday, steered his team to a 2-1 win at relegation rivals Darlington, who are in freefall.

Tommy Wright’s side have not won in seven matches, are 17th and are now just two points off the relegation zone.

At full-time some supporters made their feelings known, with confrontations taking place beside the dugouts.

Yet, Wright’s side, not for the first time this season, did not play badly despite not getting the result they desired.

Ginnelly admitted: “Darlington were the better side, I'm not going to deny that, they played some good football.”

Darlington held the majority of the possession, particularly in the first half, but spurned their scoring opportunities.

New signing Williams Kokolo, on loan from Sunderland, had a powerful shot saved by Cameron Belford, and the goalkeeper also denied Jordan Nicholson while Stephen Thompson hit the bar with a cross-shot.

Nicholson had a shot cleared off the line, but as the half came to a close Nuneaton saw more of Quakers’ goal, and striker Adam McGurk should have put his team ahead.

Ryan Edmunds teed it up for him with a precise pass from the right, but McGurk got it all wrong and allowed Jonny Maddison to claim the ball.

However, just before the break Edmunds volleyed home from a tight angle after a free kick.

Kicking towards the Tin Shed in the second half, Darlington levelled on the hour with Nicholson scoring his sixth goal of the season.

He picked up possession on the edge of the area, danced past a couple of challenges and fired low beyond Belford.

But Nuneaton retook the lead with 20 minutes to play. Dior Angus latched onto a loose ball and raced into Quakers’ penalty area unchallenged before firing high into the net.

While there was plenty of time remaining, Darlington were unable to find another leveller, while Wright felt unable to make a change, his substitution options limited due to having five teenagers on the bench.

Liam Hughes and Alex Henshall had been ruled out due to injury, while Simon Ainge was again not on the team sheet. Before the game the club had said he needed a fitness test on a knee injury.

In the closing stages Thompson twice went down in the penalty area, but his appeals always appeared optimistic rather than realistic, while Belford saved well from Kokolo and Terry Galbraith.

Despite 15 minutes of added time - due to a lengthy stoppage following a head injury sustained by Nuneaton’s Nat Kelly - Quakers slumped to another defeat, their ninth in 21 games in all competitions this season.

Their next two games are away at second-placed Chorley and third-top Altrincham before playing York City at home on Boxing Day.

Goals: Edmundson (44, 0-1); Nicholson (60, 1-1); Angus (71, 1-2)

Bookings: Burn (32, foul), Elliott (41, foul); Panayiotou (44, foul), Kelly (55, foul); O’Hanlon (63, foul)

Referee: Richard Aspinall

Attendance: 1,064

Darlington (4-2-3-1): Maddison; Trotman, Burn, Galbraith, O’Hanlon; Elliott, Wheatley; Thompson, Nicholson, Kokolo; Saunders. Subs (not used): Glover, A Burn, Lingthep, Lycett, Morrison

Nuneaton Borough (4-4-2): Belford; Panayiotou, Addison, Morrison, Kelly (Kelly-Evans 90); Edmunds, Lyne, Calveley, Angus; Baker, McGurk. Subs (not used): Basso, Leek, Davies, Edobor