where Darlington's next goal will come from, nobody knows. Not even David Hodgson.

On Saturday, the Quakers boss, with a shrug of the shoulders, conceded he no longer holds the answer to the recurring problem which has made Conference football at the Reynolds Arena next season a distinct possibility.

Quakers have yet to score in 2004 and they have conjured up just one goal in over 540 minutes of football.

If, come May, Hodgson's men do bow out of the Football League, then the finger of blame will surely point to their current lean spell in front of goal.

For the umpteenth time this season - and to Hodgson's frustration at the weekend - Quakers showed all the makings of a side far superior than their league position suggested.

But once again, for all their endeavour and build-up play, Quakers failed to make it count and again paid the ultimate price.

Hodgson will find scant consolation in comments made by visiting boss Peter Taylor, who believes Quakers are in a false league position.

But the league table provides the harsh facts and shows Quakers are second bottom and four points adrift of safety for a reason - one win in 17 would justify their place in the bottom two.

However, what Hodgson can't comprehend is that his side have picked up just one point and scored just once in their last six games, having played some good football.

"This is happening every week and I don't have the answer to where the goals are going to come from," said Hodgson.

"People say a little bit of luck helps you. I'm sure it's not through creativity because in the first half we created enough chances alone to win the game.

"They got the goal and it was same old script, same old story.

"We need a goal because at the moment when the opposition are getting a goal it's proving to be the winner. I don't know where it's going to come from but when it comes I'll be delighted.

"We need it soon because we can only go on for so long believing. After that the players will stop believing.

"We need to be honest and I've told them that we're heading into the Conference if we don't put an end to one-nillers.

"If we don't pull out of this we're going down. I need answers from my players, and quickly."

However, nobody in the 6,847 crowd - almost half of which were Hull fans - could explain how Quakers failed to make their early domination count with Hull up against the ropes.

Former Aston Villa keeper Boaz Myhill had to be at full stretch to tip over from Neil Wainwright after two minutes.

And when Wainwright finally managed to beat Myhill with his next attempt, the foot of the post came to Hull's rescue.

On-loan forward Lee Matthews glanced a header wide in the eighth minute from Ashley Nicholls' corner before Ryan Valentine - returning to the side at the expense of Chris Hughes - headed over from the edge of the box.

On a rare attack at the other end, Stuart Elliott had the ball in the back of the net in the 24th minute, only to see his 'goal' ruled out for offside.

There was a further scare for Quakers moments later when Ben Burgess went down in the box under a challenge from Matt Clarke but referee Phil Prosser waved play on.

Elliott found the net for the second time in the match and this time the goal stood on the half-hour mark.

After good work down the right by Jason Price, the former Tranmere man squared for Elliott, who tapped home from close range.

With the stuffing well and truly knocked out of them, Quakers, who had started so positively, all of a sudden looked flat.

Hodgson and his players were clearly sensing it was to be one of those days.

It almost got worse on the hour mark when Valentine cleared off the line from Burgess.

And former Blackburn forward Burgess was unlucky not take his tally to 11 for the season when he fired over from Andy Dawson's corner in the 77th minute.

Disappointingly, Quakers failed to rally late on as City held on to claim their fourth straight win and return to the top of Division Three in the process.