Few would argue that Rochdale aren't one of English football's backwater clubs.

While maintaining a role in the bottom division of the Football League, they're a club who rarely enter the wider public's consciousness. They are the brussell sprouts of football: always there but not many would notice if they weren't.

They enjoyed one moment, infamous among Darlington supporters, knocking Quakers out of the FA Cup to earn a trip to Liverpool in 1996, otherwise they have meandered along and not seen life outside the League's lowest division since 1974.

The years since, spent in Division Four, Division Three and now League Two (all meaning exactly the same thing) make Dale the division's current longest- serving club - at a staggering 31 consecutive seasons.

All clubs endure a fallow spell but only a continuous and lengthy lack of both ability and ambition can account for such miserable fortune.

The same charges could not be levied at Darlington. Evidence of both ability and ambition is provided in the signings of Craig Hignett, Alun Armtrong and Clyde Wijnhard.

Darlington, second behind Rochdale with 13 consecutive seasons on the bottom rung of professional football, have existed there since relegation in 1992.

But twice since Quakers have gone extremely close to escaping via promotion.

Two seasons, with David Hodgson playing a role in both, have ended with Quakers as losing play-off finalists. Will it be third time lucky this season?

Yesterday's defeat to Rochdale was Quakers' 23rd game of the season - exactly halfway through the programme - and, until the deserved 3-0 defeat, Darlington had looked good for a play-off place.

Although Hodgson refrains from admitting it publicly, a play-off spot remains the aim and despite the defeat Quakers dropped only one place to ninth and are still very much in the promotion hunt.

But defence, where Darlington have been strong most of the season, is becoming a weak area. Six goals have been conceded in the last two matches, while the painful memory of last month's 3-0 home defeat to Lincoln still lingers.

Injuries are partly to blame. Although Matt Clarke won the Player of the Year vote, Joey Hutchinson was Darlington's best defender last season, but he isn't expected back until the end of the season, while it appears a career spent chasing lost causes and of unquestionable commitment is finally catching up on Craig Liddle.

Brian Close has looked the part, although he blamed himself for the second goal yesterday, and Curtis Fleming was at fault for the first, while Joe Kendrick has made individual errors this season, as has Clarke.

Clarke's air-kick midway through the second half, quickly followed by a back-pass that went ten yards wide of its intended target, conceding a corner, summed up Darlington's day.

Waiting for an opportunity is David McGurk, who has suffered a roller-coaster season of contrasting fortunes.

He recovered from a back injury before impressing while on loan at York, then returned to Darlington but was kept on the sidelines before having an operation on a knee injury.

Once he has recovered next month, Hodgson could do worse than give McGurk a chance.

But those in the impressively high 7,028 crowd yesterday taking in their first game of the season would say it is going to take more than fiddling with the defence to keep Quakers on track because Darlington were dire in all departments.

Attacks broke down almost as soon as they started, shots on goal were a rarity, while Dale cut through Darlington's midfield and were allowed 17 attempts on target - only goalkeeper Sam Russell emerged with any credit.

It is ironic that the biggest home crowd of the season was treated to one of the worst performances.

Crowd figures have been disappointing, but after letting the fans down in such fashion nobody would be surprised if yesterdy's figure was not matched for some time.

Although the mood of optimism received a battering yesterday, the fact remains that Quakers are still only a point off the play-offs and have a further 23 games to play. And they have every chance of another three to follow that.

Still, if promotion does not come this year Darlington have still a long way to go before they match Rochdale's 31 consecutive seasons in what Hodgson calls this 'God damn' division.

Read more about the Quakers here.