A FRUSTRATED Darlington were beaten by a second-half goal as they lost 1-0 to Farsley Celtic at the Citadel.

For the second game running, they found it tough going in breaking down a home defence which had ten men behind the ball after they took the lead from a free-kick.

Luke Charman, on his return to the side, went close with a header early on, but Quakers’ keeper Johnny Saltmer stopped his side from going behind after seven minutes when Paddy Lane broke clean through, but the keeper pushed him wide, and Lane instead set up Jimmy Spencer, who fired over the top.

Quakers nearly took the lead on ten minutes when the tricky Erico Sousa picked up a pass from Jarrett Rivers, sidestepped a challenge, and hit a fierce right foot shot that keeper Steven Drench punched away.

However, at the other end, Lane got clean through again, and Saltmer saved well his 12-yard shot low down to his left.

Rivers then had a left foot shot saved by Drench, then Adam Campbell put a glancing header just wide from another Rivers cross.

Saltmer saved his team again with a full length save from a low 25-yard shot by Chris Atkinson, but right on half time Rivers’ persistence won him the ball inside the box on the right, and Charman couldn’t quite turn his cross in at the far post.

Quakers thought they should have had a penalty at the start of the second half when Rivers made a run into the box from the right and seemed to be pulled back, but the ref waved play on.

Quakers went a goal behind on 51 minutes when a free-kick was whipped in from the right for Farsley skipper Adam Clayton to head past Saltmer from six yards out.

Farsley then made themselves difficult to break down by bringing plenty of men back and breaking up play, frustrating Quakers.

The home side nearly got a second on 74 minutes when Hunt played a poor back pass, letting in Parkin, but Saltmer blocked his shot well.

Quaker sub Dan Maguire came on, and nearly levelled with a header from a Tony McMahon cross.

They piled the pressure on after that, and Charman was denied by Drench at the foot of his post from 10 yards.