DARLINGTON were dealing with life after Clyde Wijnhard long before the enigmatic Dutchman left the club on Thursday and last night's win over Macclesfield provided further proof that he won't be missed.

As Quakers ended their six-game run without a win, Simon Johnson brought to an end to a personal goal drought with his first strike in seven games.

Johnson's third goal of the season came from the penalty spot after he was brought down by David Morley.

The jury is still out on Johnson, whose partnership with Wijnhard failed to live up to its billing after an encouraging pre-season.

But alongside Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu, Johnson's game has been given a new dimension.

Unlike Wijnhard, Ndumbu-Nsungu, or 'Dave' as he was called by fans at Sheffield Wednesday, is willing to put the work in.

For a town famed for its silk production, there was little quality material on offer from the Silkmen last night.

Like Wijnhard, goalkeeper Sam Russell was largely redundant in a game Quakers were always in control of.

Without the injured Jon Parkin, last season's beaten play-off semi-finalists have shown little to suggest they are capable of defying the odds - on a shoestring budget - again this campaign.

Indeed, Quakers' failure to find the net of late had seen them slip from second to 14th before last night's third home win of the season.

Despite the success of the 4-5-1 formation, which worked so well in last Saturday's goalless draw at Northampton, an Achilles injury to Carlos Logan forced a change in personnel and the system last night.

For the first time this season, Hodgson re-introduced the 3-5-2 formation, which took Quakers to the brink of a play-off place in May.

With Shelton Martis fit again, the Dutchman was recalled alongside Matt Clarke and Joey Hutchinson in the back three. In the absence of Logan, Ryan Valentine was employed as a left wing-back, with David Duke occupying the opposite flank.

It didn't take the irrepressible Anthony Peacock long to make his mark on proceedings.

Quakers' best player at the Sixfields six days earlier, Peacock timed his challenge to perfection, scooping the ball from Paul Harsley's feet, when a Macclesfield attack looked imminent.

Ndumbu-Nsungu saw his acrobatic kick deflected wide by Morley early on after a confident start from the home side.

Only the upright denied Quakers the lead on the quarter-hour mark. Duke's defence-splitting pass found Valentine, who struck his shot well, only to see the ball rebound off the post and into the grateful arms of keeper Alan Fettis.

Macclesfield could only ride their luck for so long and in the 28th minute Quakers finally took the lead through Johnson.

After using his pace to earn a penalty following Morley's hopeful lunge, the former Leeds United striker chipped the resulting spot-kick into the net.

Johnson was unlucky not to grab his second when he fired over from close range after good work by Ndumbu-Nsungu.

After Johnson saw another shot easily saved by Fettis, there were appeals for a penalty in the 64th minute when Duke's long range effort appeared to strike the hand of Danny Swailes.

Ndumbu-Nsungu was the next to be denied when, after pouncing on a Morley error, the Congo-born forward saw his low shot well saved by Fettis.

On a rare attack at the other end, Russell had to be alert to push away Andrew Smart's shot after a scramble in the box.

Johnson went close again late on when he tapped straight at Fettis from substitute Neil Wainwright's pass. Ndumbu-Nsungu also saw a chance go begging when he could only direct his shot over the bar, while Wainwright curled inches wide in injury time