Clitheroe 2 Darlington 1

Darlington’s jittering promotion drive suffered another blow when a second-half penalty inflicted their third defeat in four games at Clitheroe.

Sefton Gonzales got the spot-kick, after Graeme Armstrong had handled, as Quakers lost despite leading 1-0 early on, but the damage inflicted is limited by leaders Salford City also losing.

They lost 2-0 at home to Lancaster City, who Darlington face at Heritage Park on Wednesday, but losing for the fourth time in six away games made it a poor day for Quakers against mid-table opposition.

Clitheroe began the day in 13th with only two wins in their previous ten league fixtures, and ended the game with ten men after defender Roberto Bonaminio was red-carded.

Bonaminio endured a poor day on a personal level as it was from his mistake that Quakers took the lead on six minutes, David Dowson capitalising on an error by the defender, who slipped on the edge of the penalty area and that let in the striker who finished calmly.

It was exactly the start Quakers needed, though they only retained their one-goal advantage thanks to a close-range save by Peter Jameson.

After an attack down Clitheroe’s left, started by player-manager Simon Garner’s pass from the centre-circle, Gonzales got on the end of low pass, but Jameson was equal to it and thereafter Darlington looked solid until almost half-time.

With Liam Hatch partnering Chris Hunter in the centre of defence, after Gary Brown failed a fitness test, they were defensively strong while at the other end carved a couple of openings.

Their first corner, taken by right-back Adam Mitchell, missed stand-in captain Leon Scott by inches at the near post, before a Stephen Thompson long-ball caught Clitheroe napping, Dowson taking the ball beyond a napping Bonaminio and firing low at goal, but the effort from the corner of the penalty area was wide of the near post.

The striker needed support, but Graeme Armstrong, recalled at the expense of the benched Nathan Cartman, was too late in providing it and Armstrong was on the end of Quakers’ next effort.

Thompson’s free-kick, won after Tom Portas was tripped by Daniel Brady, was met with a diving header, but the ball hit the roof of the stand behind the goal when he should’ve tested the keeper.

From Quakers’ second corner, the first one taken from the raised corner of the pitch, which is around 2ft higher than the goal-line, Armstrong’s header back across goal after Terry Galbraith’s delivery was cleared by Gonzales, and it was not long before Clitheroe levelled with from a corner of their own.

It was their only corner of the half and only their second shot, bringing an equaliser with Brady tapping in at close-range on 41 minutes.

However, Clitheroe keeper Peter Collinge made a fantastic save within 60 seconds of the equaliser. Hatch’s flicked header at close-range looked destined for the net, but Collinge reacted sharply to turn the ball away for a corner.

Collinge’s save was to prove critical within the context of the match, as Quakers lacked any real gusto in a second half that began with Scott shaving the outside of the post, after a Thompson free-kick.

But Darlington failed to generate a head of steam, allowing the hosts who to become the aggressors.

And from Clitheroe’s second corner of the half they won a penalty just after the hour mark after Armstrong had handled, though Darlington manager Martin Gray believed his striker had been pushed in the back.

Gonzales scored his 15th goal of the season from the spot, and thought the goal should have been the signal for Darlington to make an impact, aside from Hatch hitting the post they failed to put the home goal under any sustained pressure.

Hatch had been sent up front with Alan White coming off the bench and his shot rebounded off an upright with sub Cartman, on for Dowson, unable to turn the loose ball goalwards at close-range.

With 15 minutes to go Cartman was at the centre of a flashpoint when Bonaminio was red-carded for violent conduct, the defender having connected with a forearm.

But the late surge expected against ten-man opposition failed to materialise.

While Darlington threw men forward, it was to little affect, failing to test the keeper, and Clitheroe twice came close to a third goal: Brady hit the crossbar with a header after a Gonzales free-kick, conceded by Scott, and inside five minutes of injury time midfielder Ross Dent burst through but poked his shot wide when one-on-one with Jameson.

Last season Quakers won at Clitheroe with a last-minute goal after being 2-0 down at one stage, but there was to be no miraculous recovery today and they’re left to be thankful that leaders Salford also lost.

Clitheroe's player-manager Simon Garner said: “We were the better side, totally deserved it. Would’ve been unfair if we’d come away without the points.”

Darlington now have three games at Heritage Park: Wednesday against Lancaster, next Saturday versus third-placed Northwich Victoria and then in two weeks’ time Prescot Cables travel to the North-East.

Goals: Dowson (6, 0-1); Brady (41, 1-1); Gonzales pen (61, 2-1)

Bookings: Scott (18, foul); Brady (27, foul), Garner (51, foul)

Sending-off: Bonaminio (75, violent conduct)

Referee: C Whitaker

Attendance: 538

Clitheroe (4-4-2): Collinge; Morton, Bonaminio, Brady, Bamba; Burns, Garner (Cattermole 70), Dent, Walker (Esdaille 80); Mayers, Gonzales. Subs (not used): Esdaille, Jackson, Dale, Palffy.

Darlington (4-4-2): Jameson; A Mitchell, Hatch, Hunter, Watson (Mota 74); Thompson, Portas, Scott, Galbraith; Armstrong (White 64), Dowson (Cartman 66). Subs (not used): Bell (gk), Brown