When Joey Hutchinson was stretchered from the pitch at Carlisle United on Boxing Day, he left behind a huge void and a question mark hanging over Darlington's defence.

Quakers had failed to find an effective, regular defensive line-up and Hutchinson being ruled out for the season, depriving Darlington of arguably their best and most consistent defender, did little to quell fans' fears.

But seven weeks later Darlington are on a run that has seen them lose only once in 11 games. The back five, including keeper Sam Russell, just about picks itself, providing a solid platform on which Quakers are mounting a serious promotion challenge.

Saturday's draw means Darlington have not conceded a goal in four-and-a-half games which is their best run since September 1999 while the weekend's result, at a ground Quakers had lost at on their three previous visits, was testament to their new-found resilience.

Neither side did enough to win, scoring chances were few, but Quakers would not have picked up a point at Boston United had they made the trip to York Street during their nightmare run of form which began in September and ended with the win at Stockport County in December.

They are now made of sterner stuff and that neither Russell nor Kasper Schmeicel have picked the ball out of their net recently is no coincidence.

Ryan Valentine's impressive season continues, Joe Kendrick on the opposite flank is benefiting from a lengthy run in the side while the return of Russell brings added security.

But it is the central defensive pairing of Matt Clarke and Shelton Martis that has proved the key weapon in Darlington's armoury.

Hutchinson's injury put an end to David Hodgson's tinkering with the back-line. Instead he now sticks with four at the back and the results since speak for themselves. Three into two just would not go - Martis started the season at right-back, Hutchinson was tried - and failed - in midfield while all three were used at the back in a 3-5-2.

Via the loss of Hutchinson, the Martis and Clarke partnership has come to the fore with each excelling in recent weeks - they were both outstanding on Saturday.

Boston forwards James Keene and Julian Joachim were both quick but the Darlington duo did well to snuff out their threat.

To the benefit of the team and himself, Clarke is now largely concentrating on defending. His priority is to be first to every ball and not worry about passing it around at the back - which only creates panic and confusion - while Martis has improved as the season has gone on.

Hodgson is reaping the rewards for sticking to a regular defensive line-up and he said: "The clean sheets can only breed confidence in the team and throughout the football club.

"Our back four were excellent and that kept us intact in the first half.

"There is a positive attitude now, you can see that in the players and the fans. It was not what you call a great team performance but the defence put in a great performance and in a few days' time they will see that.

"At half-time they were not happy with themselves but after the break we took the handbrake off and for the first 20 minutes we got at them much more than we did in the first half.

"Shelton put in a fantastic 90 minutes, although I did notice he was holding his back a little and that's because of training on the Astroturf during the week. Three of four players were struggling with back injuries, so it was not ideal preparation. On the back of that week as well as the Boston pitch, it was a good point."

For the most part defences were on top at York Street, although Russell had a little more to do than his opposite number. Darlington's returning shot stopper, back after missing 12 games with a leg injury, had a handful of routine saves to make.

Former Newcastle midfielder Chris Holland saw an early, low effort saved before Peter Till's rising drive went over while the lively Keene hit the side-netting.

Boston chances were few, mainly due to the dominant Darlington defence, but Quakers struggled to get forward in the first half with Phil Stamp below-par, while Darlington's wingers were rarely involved.

From Russell's pin-point kicks Akpo Sodje won almost everything in the air but nothing was made of his aerial supremacy.

Shortly before the break came a chance for Kyle Lafferty but, under pressure from defenders, headed over Kendrick's fine left wing cross.

After the break Darlington were on top for large periods, though they failed to call the Boston keeper into action. Lafferty almost gave Conrad Logan something to do - creating a chance of his own by dribbling determinedly towards goal from the centre-circle - but just before shooting inside the area he was by tackled Mark Greaves.

Sodje was about to latch on to a Stamp through-ball but was denied by a defender's outstretched boot then Kendrick came close to scoring the best goal of his career, unleashing a thunderous drive which flew just the wrong side of the post from 30 yards.

As Boston crept back into the contest in the last 15 minutes, left-back Austin McCann ensured Russell stayed alert with a tame long-range shot but it never looked like being a goal - in truth a goal never looked on the cards all afternoon.

Each team had their half chances while Martis and Clarke both survived Boston appeals for penalties but a winner would have been unfair, especially on Darlington's defensive duo who deserved a fourth consecutive clean sheet.

Quakers have dropped a place to seventh but with ten unbeaten home games behind them, their best record since moving grounds in 2003, they go into Saturday's game with eighth-placed Bristol Rovers full of confidence.

Given that Saturday's game was played at a ground close to Quaker Lane, it is quite appropriate that Darlington remain on the road to promotion.

Result: Boston United 0, Darlington 0.