DARLINGTON are now firmly in the bottom two of the National League North table after another miserable defeat, this time going down 2-1 at Marine.
Quakers started the game better than they did in their loss at Chorley four days earlier, but once again they conceded some poor goals and it is becoming clear now that some players are struggling with the needs of this division.
Steve Watson's side have won just twice in nine games this season, and are now joint-bottom of the table ahead of a break for the FA Cup tie at Northern League Redcar Town, which is looking like a real banana skin.
“There wasn’t a lot in the game, then we got a penalty to take the lead,” said assistant manager Terry Mitchell. “But then we’re so naive, the lead only lasted three minutes.
"It was a poor goal, when you watch it back, it just wasn’t good enough. We didn’t defend the second phase, we didn’t leave one man - two or three could have scored the goal.
“At half-time, we were in the game, but the winner was a real soft goal. When you get people around the box, you’ve got to force them away from goal. He’s come inside the pitch and scored. That’s one of the things we’ve been banging on about this season.
“Our biggest problem is our lack of quality in the final third, the final pass or final cross just wasn’t there enough. We’ve had loads of crosses, but only one was of real quality. We’ve got to get better with the basics.”
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Marine had the edge on chances in the opening 20 minutes, with Conor McAleny and Fin Sinclair-Smith causing problems with their trickery on the right.
McAleny crossed for Ben Darby to volley over and Sinclair-Smith fired into the side netting.
However, Quakers nearly took the lead when Aidan Rutledge side-stepped a challenge and curled a right-foot shot against the bar.
They relied on the counter-attack to make headway, and that worked on 29 minutes when Ellis Stanton was tripped as he turned in the area, with Mark Beck converting the penalty.
But three minutes later, Quakers conceded a poor equaliser when their defensive offside routine failed to work and McAleny found space to beat Bobby Jones with a low shot.
Paddy McLaughlin nearly restored Quakers’ lead with a left-foot effort that Marine keeper Jack McIntyre saved at full stretch, but at the other end Jones had to make two saves and also palm away two corners.
The home side started the second half better and won a penalty on 48 minutes when Hayden Atkinson clearly pulled Ben Darby’s shirt as the Marine man was shaping up to head a right-wing cross. However, Jones guessed correctly and saved McAleny’s spot-kick.
Quakers then had plenty of possession, but didn’t do anything with it apart from Stanton volleying over a nod down by Beck.
Marine took the lead on 73 minutes. Sub Charlie Jolley had only been on the field for a few minutes when he had time to put the ball into Quakers box from the left without any real pressure, and it sailed into the top-left corner.
They nearly got a third when Sinclair-Smith broke away with just Jones to beat, but he side-footed wide.
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