DAVID HODGSON can forget talk of a top seven place at the end of the season and concentrate on ensuring Darlington aren't occupying the bottom two come May.

Hodgson's problems show few signs of easing after they were beaten by Shrewsbury Town at Gay Meadow last night.

The pressure is mounting on the Quakers boss, whose side slumped to their latest defeat.

Quakers have now failed to win in their last five league outings - hardly the kind of promotion form many had predicted.

In arguably the most important season in his managerial career, Hodgson must now find ways to raise his morale-drained charges.

Quakers were given hope when Phil Stamp cancelled out Mark Stallard's seventh minute opener on the stroke of half-time.

But, after Neil Sorvel restored Shrewsbury's lead early in the second half with the aid of a wicked deflection, Hodgson's men showed little fight when it mattered most.

Neil Ashton's 68th minute strike effectively killed off any lingering hopes Quakers had.

To add to his problems, Tresor Kandol failed to travel with the rest of the squad yesterday, although his absence was not the result of a car accident. Hodgson refused to comment on Kandol's situation last night, although it is believed the forward failed to turn up for training on Sunday.

The night had started promisingly for Quakers. But, any hopes of taking control of the game were soon diminished by Carlos Logan's suicidal back-pass.

Calamity keeper Bert Bossu has yet to keep a clean sheet for Quakers and any hopes the Frenchman had of breaking his duck were quickly ended on seven minutes.

While there may have been more Bossu could have done about Stallard's low drive, Logan was the biggest culprit, passing the ball into the path of the Shrewsbury forward.

Just as the visitors began to re-organise, their momentum was brought to a halt when referee Bob Desmond pulled up injured in the 37th minute. The entrance of Paul Danson suggested it wasn't going to be Darlington's night.

The former Premiership referee caused outrage in January 2003 when, ironically, he sent off Stuart Whitehead, then a Darlington player and now with Shrews, in a 3-1 defeat at Torquay.

However, the Leicestershire official's decision to play three minutes over the allocated two, allowed Quakers to draw level.

There didn't appear to be any danger when Stamp was fouled 35 yards from goal. But, there was only one intention from the Teessider, who stroked the set-piece into the top corner.

However, any hopes Quakers had suffered a cruel setback in the 51st minute. Sorvel's 25-yard effort was nothing more than speculative, but, with the aid of a deflection, the ball dropped past the unfortunate Bossu.

Ashton's first goal for his club then ensured there was no way back for Hodgson's men.