DARLINGTON manager Gary Bennett was left to rue a lack of killer instinct as his side fell to an agonising defeat at Torquay.

Three gilt-edged opportunities cost Quakers both maximum points and their unbeaten run while it was proved lightening can strike twice when they lost to an injury-time goal.

With Quakers leading through a fabulous Mark Ford strike, Danny Mellanby, Richard Hodgson and Barry Conlon all squandered chances to secure the three points against an unconvincing Torquay side, and extend the unbeaten sequence to six games.

Had the trio put their chances away, the Gulls wouldn't have found a way back into a game on which neither side stamped their authority.

On this performance, Torquay, who began the day in 20th position, will finish the season in the lower reaches of the division as they lacked quality all over the pitch while Quakers didn't show the ability they're capable of.

In truth, neither team deserved to win, but those three missed chances let the hosts off the hook, and allowed them to complete a repeat of last season's scoreline.

When the two sides last met at Plainmoor in March this year, Torquay came back from 1-0 down to win 2-1 with a last minute goal, and on Saturday Darlington gave them all the opportunity they needed.

After Simon Betts conceded a needless penalty, Torquay were allowed space to deliver the cross for a second goal and when the final whistle sounded, manager Gary Bennett was not a happy man.

"We weren't ruthless enough in the box, if we were then we could have won by four or five," he said.

"We created so many chances it was unbelievable. Some of the stuff we played was bright and it was good, but you've got to finish them chances off.

"If you think we deserved to get beat 2-1, then you've been at the wrong game.

"As for the penalty decision, the referee didn't give it, the linesman did, and I spoke to one of our lads who said he didn't touch him and that it was on the edge of the box. But that let them back in it at 1-1.

"Some of the decisions they made, especially the penalty, were diabolical. But you can't blame them , you've just got to blame yourselves because we had enough chances."

For the last three fixtures Quakers have failed to match the standards set in the opening games versus Kidderminster, Bristol Rovers and Hartlepool.

They also failed to finish off the opposition once they had gone ahead in their previous away game at Lincoln, while Bennett's men were never at the races against Carlisle - but there would be no cause for concern had Darlington put Torquay out of reach.

"We created more than enough chances to have won the game and I'm disappointed with all the one-on-one chances which we created and we never killed them off," sighed Bennett.

"At times it was too easy. There were times when they were trying to chip the keeper and they weren't ruthless enough to keep the ball low and strike it into the back of the net.

"I spoke to Roy McFarland after the game and he thought we were the better team. So did I, but on another day those chances would have gone in."

The first half was a scrappy affair with a swirling wind and an uneven, hard pitch both playing a factor as the two teams struggled to put any threatening attacks together. Hodgson wasted the visitors' best first half chance as he stalled 16 yards from goal when he had space to pick his spot following good work by the uncle and nephew combination of Brian Atkinson and Danny Mellanby who had teamed up to put the ball on a plate for the left-winger.

The breakthrough came five minutes after the break when Ford, who had attempted two long-range efforts in the opening 45 minutes, lashed a 22-yard volley into the net after a right-wing corner had been only partially cleared.

In similar style to Steven Gerrard's celebration after scoring past Everton earlier in the day, Ford, who left Torquay in the middle of last season and had received abuse from the home terraces, celebrated his glorious strike by cupping his hand to his ear and running past Torquay's popular stand. A pivotal five minutes followed as Quakers created three chances which should've sealed Quakers' second away win of the season.

First culprit was Mellanby who, although being tracked by a defender, was faced with just the keeper to beat but will feel he should've done better as his shot went over the bar. A minute later Hodgson charged towards goal but with only the keeper in his way, his powerful effort was saved by Kevin Dearden.

Perhaps the most glaring miss came from Conlon who escaped his marker after being played through by Mellanby, but his attempted chip over the advancing keeper lacked height and was clawed away by Dearden.

Torquay made Quakers pay for their missed chances, as lively substitute Neville Roach began to cause problems for the visitors' defence, and eventually his trickery lulled Betts into making a rash challenge to gift a penalty with 14 minutes remaining.

Alex Russell converted it and from that point onwards Quakers, for whom Alex Jeannin replaced the injured David Brightwell, looked in trouble with the defence being put under pressure by several attacks with Roach and Mark Nicholls pulling the strings.

Torquay were allowed time to swing in a cross late in the game as Kirk Jackson failed to put pressure on Hill who delivered the ball into the penalty area where Nicholls converted.

Atkinson's headed clearance rebounded off the post and it sat up for the ex-Chelsea starlet to poke home. Darlington's five game unbeaten run has turned into three matches without a win so they face Leyton Orient tomorrow knowing they've got to pick up the pieces of a self-inflicted defeat if they want to keep the momentum going, gained from their good start to the campaign.

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