NEW assistant manager Darren Holloway watched from the stands as Darlington won comprehensively last night at Bishop Auckland.

Quakers cantered to a 4-1 victory with two goals apiece from Jamie Holmes and Lucas Bell completing a day's work that manager Alun Armstrong was very pleased with.

Having spent his first weeks in charge on a solitary basis, Armstrong can now look forward to renewing his working relationship with his former Blyth No. 2 Holloway, who tendered his resignation from Spartans yesterday.

The former Sunderland defender, who played alongside Armstrong for Darlington in 2006-07, has not yet put pen to paper with Quakers, hence a watching brief last night at Heritage Park where Darlington selected an assorted starting XI.

Trialists Osagi Bacome, Justin Donawa, Omar Holness, Tevan Tyrell and Cedwyn Scott, who is a striker formerly with Dundee and Berwick Rangers, were all given the first 45 minutes which ended 1-1.

Defender Jonny Burn also played the first half, and he escaped with a caution after a strong foul on Michael Hoganson.

Darlington spurned a handful of early chances, speedy right-winger Donawa missing a couple of opportunities, before Bishop took the lead with goal from out of the blue on 33 minutes, Bailey Prudhoe rifling home from 25 yards past Cameron Hall.

Holmes soon levelled, his shot squirming through Tom Flynn’s hands, and at half-time Quakers made eight changes with a much stronger line-up going on to control play for lengthy spells.

Only Holmes, Terry Galbraith and Michael Liddle completed the 90 minutes, with man of the match Holmes a constant menace.

He made it 2-1 with a tidy finish after good work by Adam Campbell, and it was 3-1 when ex-Sunderland winger Bell converted a first-time shot after good work by Holmes and Campbell.

Armstrong has talked of wanting to add two or three more players, and Bell did his chances of earning a deal no harm by scoring the best goal of the night, taking the ball past an opponent on the left before curling it into the top corner to make it 4-1.

Darlington are next due in action on Saturday at Halifax Town, though the game is under threat due to an issue with the Shay pitch. Halifax are due to update the situation today.

Their home match with Doncaster, scheduled for this evening, has already been switched to the League One club’s training ground.

Darlington first half: Hall, Holliday, Galbraith, Burn, Liddle, Donowa, Holness, Bascome, Scott, Tyrell, Holmes.

Darlington second half: Elliott, Atkinson, Laing, Galbraith, Liddle, Rivers, Hatfield, Glover, Bell, Campbell, Holmes.