GEORGI Hristov did not exactly endear himself to his new fans when the Bulgarian striker signed for Barnsley in 1997 and promptly labelled the town's female population as 'ugly'. And when the first round draw of the FA Cup was made a fortnight ago Darlington pulled a pig.

Away to a team doing well in a higher division is a draw that no club wants, especially Darlington fans who for many years have been starved of a good cup run and hold hopes of, one day, going somewhere near to filling that ground with a visit of one of the country's big clubs.

Quakers last reached the third round - when the big boys join in - five years ago and even that was after losing their second round tie, playing at Aston Villa as 'lucky losers'.

But supporters' fears were realised as Paul Hayes' fourth-minute winner means the wait for Jose Mourinho or Sir Alex Ferguson to visit Darlington goes on hold for another year.

Having scored only once in the previous five away games, most Quakers fans travelled to fifth-placed Barnsley more in hope rather than expectation. An indication that it was, again, not to be Quakers day in the Cup came inside the first ten seconds when Quakers conceded a corner after Anthony Peacock lost possession from the kick-off.

But few could have expected such an early goal or the onslaught in the first 30 minutes which threatened to provide Darlington with an embarrassing scoreline that would have truly wrecked Quakers' relationship with the competition.

It maybe known as the world's greatest knockout competition but Darlington have not received the greatest of luck in this, or any other, competition in recent years.

Defeats over the last decade have cost Quakers FA Cup dates against Liverpool (lost to Rochdale), Newcastle (lost to Peterborough) and Arsenal (lost to Farnborough) and neither have Darlington been handed the greatest of draws of late so when they were given their fourth away tie at this stage in five years it came as no surprise.

Last season may have seen Darlington handed a rare home game in the first round, but fellow League Two side Yeovil Town were flying high and ended the season being promoted so it was hardly the pick of the ties.

Nonetheless, with only injury time to play Quakers were winning 3-2, only to see Brian Close wrongly red-carded (later rescinded) and from the resulting free-kick - taken ten yards further forward than the original foul - the Glovers equalised. A referee's incompetence in the dying minutes costing Quakers dear? We heard that one last week too.

Yeovil won the replay and, incidentally, the referee for that tie was Phil Joslin - the very same pedant in charge on Saturday too, ordering free-kicks and throw-ins to be taken a whole yard further back from the position players were trying to take them. Maybe Joslin had learned a lesson from last season?

But the Nottinghamshire whistle-blower excelled himself with a mesmerising piece of officious refereeing when he penalised Joe Kendrick for time wasting at a throw-in - it was midway through the first half and Darlington were losing, why would he be time wasting? So Joslin gave the throw to Barnsley, but then immediately gave it back to Kendrick as he deemed the hosts had taken it from the wrong place.

There is a worrying lack of referees at grassroots level so perhaps the likes of Joslin and Gary Sutton - the man responsible for the outrageous penalty at Wrexham last week - should be encouraged to lend a hand in the local leagues; after a few games at the coalface of park football they would soon change their fussy ways.

But, unlike last week, the referee was not to blame for Quakers' defeat. Barnsley's barrage of ceaseless first-half attacks, with the skilful Martin Devaney and Chris Shuker catching the eye, cut through Darlington's defence but somehow they failed to add to their first goal before Quakers woke up just before half-time.

By that stage the bored home fans had been entertaining themselves by throwing around a beach ball - why anyone in Barnsley owns one during November is a mystery.

For the most part Darlington's attempts to get forward had been as successful as the unfortunate steward who failed miserably in kicking the beach ball back into the crowd - it sailed back over his head and on to the pitch.

Uncharacteristically, Joslin did not view this as a punishable offence.

Neil Wainwright hit the bar before the break during which Shuker was replaced but Barnsley started the second half as they did the first, creating four great chances within 15 minutes and they really should have put themselves out of sight.

David Hodgson eventually dumped 4-5-1 for 4-4-2 with Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu coming on alongside Akpo Sodje and Quakers were soon on the offensive.

The same switch two weeks ago turned a 1-0 deficit versus Cheltenham into a 3-1 victory and although that comeback could not be repeated, Darlington gave it a valiant effort.

They pushed hard, creating chances by using a more direct approach and Ndumbu-Nsungu twice almost equalised; a 20-yard left footed volley was excellently saved by Nick Colgan and his second was an impulsive effort from Sodje's which went wide from close-range.

But, despite the concerted late effort, a replay was not to be meaning Saturday's defeat became the club's eighth consecutive first round exit in all cup competitions.

For supporters the way Darlington finished the game, after changing from 4-5-1 to 4-4-2, was equally encouraging as it was frustrating. In hinsight it suggested Quakers could have done more in the first half to prevent defeat.

Had they started the game with that tempo, and that formation, then surely Quakers would have provided a sterner test.

The 666 travelling fans, appreciative of the second half improvement, applauded Darlington as they left the field - but they would have been a lot louder had they had a long-awaited cup win to cheer