Win or lose, the result of last night's LDV Vans Trophy first round tie with Stockport County was never going to have much of a bearing as Tommy Taylor sits down with chairman George Reynolds today to discuss his future with the club.

For the record Quakers were beaten by a goal to nil in front of a crowd of just 1,190.

Kevin Briggs' first half strike was enough to send County through on a bitter evening in Lancashire.

Taylor made no less than seven changes from the side beaten at home to Boston on Saturday with David McGurk and Matthew Clarke forming a new-look defensive partnership in the absence of skipper Craig Liddle and recent recruit Stuart Whitehead.

Barry Conlon was handed the captain's armband for the night, partnering Danny Mellanby up front, who was making his first start of the season since recovering from a back injury.

There was also a full debut for Clark Keltie.

There was no place in the County starting line-up for striker Luke Beckett, linked with a move to Feethams earlier in the season with player-manager Carlton Palmer choosing to rest the former Chesterfield frontman along with several other first-team regulars.

It was the home side who made the brighter start in slippery conditions with Briggs sending in a deep cross which was knocked back across goal by Kevin Ellison but McGurk read well and cleared the danger.

With eight minutes gone Darlington had their first chance of the game as Richard Hodgson sent Danny Mellanby through on goal but the forward, lacking match practice, was eventually harried off the ball.

Simon Betts almost gifted Stockport a goal when his attempted headed clearance fell to Ben Burgess, who scuffed his shot wide.

At the other end Keltie forced an acrobatic save from 'keeper James Spencer who finger tipped wide before the debutant had a shot cleared off the line from the resulting corner.

Quakers continued to carve out most opportunities in the first half with Mellanby and Campbell linking up well before Campbell saw his low drive well held by Spencer.

However despite their dominance Quakers found themselves a goal down, when, on a rare attack, Ellison found space down the left before drilling across the face of goal for Briggs to bundle home from close range.

Quakers looked for a quick reply and almost got it when Campbell skied his shot from Mellanby's precise pass just before half-time.

Darlington should have equalised minutes into the second half when Mellanby blasted over when it looked harder to miss - his blushes were spared when the linesman raised his flag for offside.

Stockport were forced into a change in the 70th minute when John Hardiker limped off and Palmer introduced himself to the fray in an unfamilar left-back role.

Mark Sheeran and Glenn Naylor were brought on in a double substitution midway through the second half, with Conlon and Mellanby making way.

County almost made it two when Burgess shrugged off McGurk on the edge of the area but Collett came to the rescue with a brave save at the feet of the former Blackburn striker.

With little to marvel at in a dour second half, the small contingent of travelling Quakers fans entertained themsleves by counting down the seconds on the scoreboard which contained one vital statistic as the referee blew his whistle for full-time

* Concerned Quakers fans are hoping to meet with chairman George Reynolds to discuss the club's future.

Supporters are eager to find out what the club's intentions are, although they will be hoping to avoid a repeat of the last 'fans forum' which ended in controversy after the players walked out following a speech by the chairman's wife, Susan Reynolds.

Stockport County 1 - 0 Darlington

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