New season, same old Darlington.

They nosedived in the second half of last season with a miserable run of results, including a home defeat to Curzon Ashton in April. And there was a repeat performance today with Quakers losing their first home game of the campaign.

Will Hayhurst was central to their 2-0 victory in April, scoring twice, and he was the hero again by being involved in all three of the visitors’ goals, the first after 15 minutes from a corner.

Darlington had started slowly, and when Quakers goalkeeper Tommy Taylor failed to deal with Hayhurst’s delivery, Adam Barton scrambled home the loose ball to make it 1-0.

Curzon were difficult to break down and Darlington struggled to make an impact, but from nowhere a shot by new captain Tom Platt was turned around the post by Cameron Mason, and from the resulting corner Quakers made it 1-1.

Taken by Jarrett Rivers, former Blyth defender Toby Lees headed home to mark his Darlington debut in style.

Midfielder Platt, a summer arrival from Boston United, was booked by referee Thomas Wilson for an innocuous foul, followed shortly after by Curzon’s Alex Kenyon receiving the same punishment for a dreadful challenge, scything down Adriano Moke when the ball was long gone.

Cameron Salkeld, also a new signing, went into the book too after a foul on Jamie Allen, who made the most of it and Wilson fell for his theatrics.

Salkeld fluffed a chance in first-half added time, blasting over with Mason rushing out.

Curzon defended deeply in the second half, Darlington patiently playing through two banks of pink shirts and looking threatening without scoring.

A low Kallum Griffiths ball evaded everyone in the goalmouth, then the full-back saw a powerful long-range strike parried by Mason, and a Platt blast was blocked.

But Darlington’s bright spell came to a shuddering halt, however, when Curzon went ahead with Hayhurst again the creator.

His free-kick into the penalty area from wide on the right was met by George Waring’s header at the far post.

Jacob Hazel hit the bar from six yards, but Quakers did not look like levelling again and their threat fizzled out.

New left-back Jordan Mustoe was fortunate not to be sent off for retaliating to a Curzon challenge, and was instead cautioned.

But Darlington did end the game with ten men when Rivers went off injured with all of their substitutes already made, and their misery was compounded by Hayhurst in added time.

He capped the day with the final goal, making the most of a calamity in the centre of Darlington’s hapless defence when they gave the ball away cheaply, Hayhurst given three shots at goal and scoring with the last of them.

Manager Alun Armstrong and assistant Darren Holloway served touchline bans so watch the match from a room in the Blackwell Meadows clubhouse, so will have had a good view of proceedings and already have plenty to ponder on what they saw today.

Darlington (4-3-3): Taylor; Griffiths, Lawlor, Lees, Mustoe; Moke (Curry 77), Platt, Liddle (Felix 67); Rivers, Hazel, Salkeld (Nelson 81). Subs not used: Hedley, Sukar

Curzon Ashton (3-5-2): Mason; Poscha, Waring, Matthews, Mahon (Richards 83), Barton, Kenyon, Sinclair, Hayhurst; Allen (Edmundson 90+8), Storey (Mols 89). Subs not used: Spencer, Taylor