Bradford City 1 Darlington 0
DARLINGTON played well but their endeavour was not reflected in the scoreline a verdict which is becoming a tiringly repetitive theme.
In recent games against Northampton, Lincoln and Chesterfield, Quakers' performances justified more than the solitary point gleaned.
Had they won those matches, in each of which they conceded winning positions, then their predicament at the bottom of League Two would not be quite so perilous.
They are now 16 points away from the third-bottom position after suffering a similar scenario at Bradford City.
James Hanson's first half header was the only goal of the game, though Darlington did enough to merit a point in a contest between two limited but determined teams.
On a pitch that looked as though the entire 6 Nations series had just been played on it, due to heavy rain, Quakers were second best in the first half but had their chances after the break.
Goalkeeper Matt Glennon was kept occupied, though Darlington substitute Patrick Deane should have at least given the Bradford stopper a save to make in the dying seconds when a goal would have seen Darlington avoid another defeat.
Saturday's was their 13th defeat from 15 away games though new Bradford boss Peter Taylor was left relieved.
After overseeing his club's first home win since October, he said: Darlington may be at the bottom of the table but they don't deserve to be and I knew it was going to be a difficult game.
Steve Staunton has done very well at Darlington. He has taken over at a very difficult time.
Likewise, Taylor has taken over a club in the bottom half of the division with a joint chairman who almost quit last week. Mark Lawn considered his position after being subjected to verbal abuse in the defeat at Accrington seven days previously.
At least not all of the Bantams followers feel so frustrated, as demonstrated by a Thirsk-based supporter who has stumped up 5,000 of the 7,500 required to pay for 22- year-old Hanson.
The former supermarket shelf-stacker has arrived from Guiseley and Saturday's strike took his tally to eight, emphasising Staunton's belief that there are gems to be found in non-league.
It is staggering, however, that a club which attracts over 11,000 for home games can get itself into a position whereby they are relying on supporters to pay for players.
On Saturday the only mystery was how Hanson was afforded so much space to plant a header beyond Quakers' keeper Shane Redmond.
In the 26th minute he started a move that ended in Gareth Evans taking the ball down Darlington's left and swinging over a cross for the unmarked Hanson.
Staunton's verdict was surely forthright, but his views remain unknown as Quakers' boss did not speak to the media after the game.
Hanson's strike came two minutes after defender Steve Williams had headed narrowly wide at a free-kick during a first half that began with Quakers' Tadgh Purcell seeing a close-range shot saved after only 50 seconds.
But Bradford hit back, limited Quakers' forward forays and when it came Hanson's goal was no surprise.
They should have had another before the break as ex- Darlington defender Matt Clarke headed off target after meeting a Robbie Threlfall set-piece.
With Staunton having said his piece at the break, his side were full of attacking intent in the second half.
Both Josh Gray and Gary Dempsey stung the palms of Glennon, Purcell appeared to be felled in the penalty area before Deane's close-range chance went over the bar.
It was the sort of opportunity that Hanson would have buried, but with Staunton keeping quiet, it was left to captain Ian Miller to comment.
That seems to have been the way of it for the last few weeks where we put in a good shift but end up with no points, said the defender.
I don't think we played particularly badly in the first half but in the second half, on what was a bobbly pitch, we got the ball down and passed it at the right times. We were just unfortunate not to take our chances.
We've got to take heart from this performance. It's no good thinking we can't build on this because if we carry today's performance, especially the second half, into Tuesday against Port Vale then we can take three points.
Having been informed of Taylor's verdict on Darlington, Miller added: Based on that performance we shouldn't be down there, but the table doesn't lie does it
We're there for a reason and the first half of the season was awful.
Hence the predicament that we're in and the only way we'll get out of it is by putting in more performances like we did today.
Match facts Goal:
1-0: Hanson (26, free header from eight yards after meeting Gareth Evans' right-wing cross)
Bookings: Flynn (15, foul); Diop (29, time wasting); McCammon (40, foul); Gray (42, foul); Clarke (86, foul)
Referee: Karl Evans (Leigh) failed to allow the game to flow in a first half during which he handed out four yellow cards 5
Attendance: 11,532
Entertainment:
BRADFORD CITY (4-3-3): Glennon 6; Ramsden 6, Williams 5, Clarke 7, Threlfall 7; Bullock 5, O'Brien 7 (Daley 70, 5), Flynn 6; McCammon 6 (M Boulding 61, 5), HANSON 7, Evans 6. Subs (not used): McLaughlin (gk), Thorne, Bateson, Horne, O'Leary
DARLINGTON (4-4-2):
7 Redmond: Aside from one late kick, distribution was excellent and he could not have been expected to stop the goal;
6 Madden: Was able to get forward due to Bradford's narrow three-man midfield
7 Miller: Restricted McCammon's input to a minimum
5 Byrne: Defended solidy but allowed Hanson to evade him for the goal and substituted early second half
5 Giddings: So close to nicking the ball ahead of the Bradford keeper, though a goal would have masked a disappointing display;
7 Gray: Getting better all the time. Looked likely to create an opening in Bradford's defence
5 Waite: The boggy pitch was more akin to non-league standards but Waite did not appear at home
7 DEMPSEY: Struggled to make an impact before the break but was pulling the strings in the second half
5 Mulligan: A disappointing showing, no real contribution and no surprise when replaced;
6 Purcell: Unfortunate with a shot inside the first minute and had more say when he went out wide
6 Diop: Held the ball up very well but wasted a couple of opportunities to shoot
Subs
White (for Byrne 47): Appeared to be keen to show Staunton that he should never have been left out of the side 7
Deane (for Mulligan 57): His best game so far, though missed what appeared to be a simple headed chance in the dying seconds 5 Main (for Gray 83)
(not used): Liversedge (gk), Groves, G Smith, McReady
MAN OF THE MATCH
GARY Dempsey Bradford could not stop him spraying the ball about in the second half.
Source: Northern Echo
