Maddison dejected

But the same praise couldn't be issued to most of Maddison's team-mates as Quakers sunk to a depressing defeat that again left a question mark against the club's play-off chances.

Despite having some of the division's most experienced players among their ranks, Darlington have stumbled through the season and Saturday's defeat was their 12th - they've won only two more.

Maddison is one of several at the club to have played at Premiership level before joining Quakers.

But Darlington are finding reputations count for nothing and, like the supporters, Maddison is growing frustrated with his under-achieving team-mates.

The 378 travelling fans who made the trek to London booed the team off at the final whistle and Maddison admitted: "It wasn't good enough. We've got some good players here but no matter what they've done in the past, that's out of the window now.

"They're playing in Coca-Cola League Two so that means you've got to roll your sleeves up and if that means coming to a place like Leyton Orient and scrapping for a result then that's what we should do.

"It doesn't matter who you are, whether you've come from the Premiership or non-league, you don't win matches if you don't run your socks off and grind results out. But that never happened so in the dressing room a few heads were down and a few harsh words have been said.

"If we've got any aspirations to do anything we've got to go to places like Orient and win. There's not many games left now, we've got to pick up points."

Maddison received the facial injury from the elbow of Orient's David Hunt in the first half.

Darlington's captain laid prostate for several minutes before being able to restart and he left Brisbane Road with a hugely swollen cheek, but he didn't apportion any blame, saying: "He apologised after the game and said he didn't mean it - that's football, it happens."