Darlington manager Martin Gray blamed a 15 minute interruption by a small minority of troublemaking “fans” for the loss of Quakers’ unbeaten record at the Butchers Arms on Saturday.

Quakers seemed to be in control with a goal to the good and a man advantage, but then fighting involving some of their followers forced the referee, James Bell, to take the players off the field and even threaten to abandon the game.

It was at that point that Darlington manager Martin Gray took it upon himself to courageously approach the fighting fans in the stand, and escort them out of the ground.

However, Droylsden used the break to galvanise themselves, and launched a second half revival to grab the points. Needless to say, Gray was furious with the violent intervention that contributed to Quakers dropping down the table.

“We were well in control at 1-0, and had a couple of chances to go further ahead, but the interruption meant that we lost our rhythm and our momentum. It was a massive factor,” he blasted.

“When the referee announced that he wouldn’t restart the game until the police arrived, my mind flashed back to the Warrington incident at the start of the season. If he had to wait too long, then he would have abandoned the game. I wanted to go back on to the pitch as soon as possible, otherwise we would have been in the same position as Warrington.

“So I felt obliged to go into the stand, and I persuaded the fans to leave. I escorted them out of the ground.

“They were only a small minority – four of them – but they spoiled the day for the club and all its well-behaved fans.”

But Quakers lost some of their concentration during the two breaks. “During the half time break, I demanded a clean sheet and a disciplined second half performance, but unfortunately we didn’t get it. There was some poor defending as a team in the second half.”

Meanwhile, the club has appealed for help to track down the troublemakers. A statement said; “The referee suspended the game for 15 minutes towards the end of the first half due to a crowd disturbance involving a small number of people, some of which were from Darlington. The club can categorically state that those involved from Darlington did not travel to the match with any organised or official supporters groups.

“The club will work with the police and other authorities to investigate this incident and identify perpetrators of the disturbance from Darlington, and once identified the club will then take the most severe sanction available to us.

“The club would like to receive, in strictest confidence, any information whatsoever which will help our investigation into this matter. Please contact us at commercial@dfc1883.co.uk “DFC is proud of its community and family based support and will do everything we can to eradicate the very small minority who seek to tarnish the club’s reputation.”

Quakers had started the game well enough, although Droylsden had also created chances. Quakers took the lead on 8 minutes when Gary Brown made a good run down the right, beating a man on the way, and crossed for Graeme Armstrong to score his fourth goal of the season.

It was nearly 2-0, but Stephen Thompson’s 20 yarder was touched around the post by keeper Russ Saunders and Terry Galbraith had a free kick for a foul on debutant Ryan Noble saved.

The game seemed to turn in Quakers’ favour when Droylsden’s Deegan was red carded for a late challenge on Jameson which caught him in the face and forced the keeper to be replaced eventually by Mark Bell.

But that incident led to the rowdy behaviour off the field, and it took fully 15 minutes and the intervention of Gray for order to be restored. Another five minutes were played before the halftime break.

Droylsden were revitalised after half time, and they equalised on 47 minutes when Ciaran Kilheeney scored from ten yards out.

The goal knocked Quakers back, but not as much as the superb 62nd minute strike by Kevin Leadbetter from 30 yards which flew past Bell, the goal that proved to be the winner.

Quakers had plenty of possession after that, but they couldn’t make their superiority tell.

Droylsden: Saunders, Brown, Holden, Frost, Dogan, Sharry, Wright, Leadbitter, Kilheeney, Deegan, Morning.

Subs: Moke, Meakin, Caldercott, Green, Burke.

Darlington: Jameson (sub Bell 39), Brown, Galbraith, White, Hunter, Portas, Reed, Robinson, Armstrong, Noble 9sub Fisher 58), Thompson Subs not used: Hatch, Mitchell, Cocks.

Attendance: 423.

Referee: J Bell.