Mark Cooper explained that he had not instructed his players to play long-ball football during Darlington's latest defeat, Saturday's 3-1 loss at Braintree Town.

The "long-ball" tag has stuck with Cooper throughout his managerial career, perhaps unfairly, but his team on Saturday lived up to that reputation as Quakers struggled to keep possession.

Target man Liam Hatch was on the bench during the first half, but strikers Ryan Bowman and debutant Nialle Rodney saw little of the ball.

Their team-mates repeatedly punted passes high into the air which did not play to their strengths and nor did it test Braintree whose victory left Cooper declaring he wants to make wholesale changes.

"We trained on Friday and worked on how we wanted to play, but then they got on to the pitch and did their own thing," said Cooper.

"Nialle needs the ball in front of him to run to. That means getting the ball up to the first guy, lay it back and then the ball's played up the sides for Nialle, but it didn't happen."

Rodney played only the first 45 minutes at Braintree, during which he spurned a chance to make it 1-0, but Cooper defended the 20-year-old, who has joined on a month's loan from Bradford.

"I thought the ball bounced up for him," said Cooper. "It was a difficult game for him. It was a bobbly pitch and he could probably do with playing at home off a big man and getting on the end of some flicks. So I'm not going to criticise a young lad after he's made his debut. Probably that's the way forward for us now, to get some younger players in the team.

"The game was there for the taking, but how many times have we said that? At Bath two weeks ago and against Barrow the other night it was the same, but Braintree wanted to win more than us.

"They had lads that wanted to run about, tackle and score goals, but we didn't have any of that. As a manager, I take full responsibility and what I have to do is get rid of the people who are not that bothered.

"Maybe they're getting on a bit and it's too much hard work for them. They can do it once every three games, but it's too much hard work for them now and they don't want to get hurt. So maybe the time is right for us to get some new lads in the team who want to run about.

"I'm not sure how many players will be coming in, but there'll definitely be some outgoings, the only question is will there be people willing to take those players?"