Whoever Darlington's next manager is, among his first tasks will be to find a solution to the team's troubles in front of goal.

A major factor in the awful first few months of the season, and Mark Cooper's demise, has been the failure to score with any regularity, no matter which of the various combinations of strikers they have tried.

On Saturday against AFC Telford it was from the penalty spot that a dogged Darlington scored the only goal of a less than eventful game. Marc Bridge-Wilkinson's effort was only Quakers' 11th goal in as many home fixtures.

Yet the team's toothless attack was of secondary importance as a win by whatever means was essential.

Whether that meant a last minute own goal or a heroic hat-trick, Darlington desperately needed three points to give people a reason to smile and strengthen chairman Raj Singh's resolve at the end of another typically traumatic week at The Northern Echo Arena.

Nobody does implosion quite as well as Quakers.

Their latest self-inflicted disaster was being embarrassed by a part-time team, again, in Hinckley United followed by the chairman's public proposal to cut the players' wages.

The man is at the end of his tether, as demonstrated in a remarkable outburst in the club's programme. Former manager Cooper and his assistant Richard Dryden, Darlington Borough Council and the owners of the Arena, Philip Scott and George Sizer, were all in the line of fire.

Singh also admitted he may ‘consider his position' while suggesting that administration is possible. A third dalliance with such a drastic measure would surely kill the club off once and for all.

So Darlington might be facing an uncertain future, but there's nothing like a win to inspire hope.

"I thought we were in control in the first half, but it was more about the result," admitted caretaker manager Craig Liddle.

"It gives everybody a lift and it means we can enjoy our weekend. I can enjoy my night now whereas previously I've been on a downer.

"All we could try to do was lift the gloom and negativity that's around the place and it certainly did that in the dressing room.

"I wasn't bothered if it was scrappy as long as we came out with the three points and hopefully that gives the chairman a boost and a reason to continue. It was all about the result."

It was scrappy at times with both defences only occasionally threatened.

Telford played with only one up front, Andy Brown, and he was too isolated to do any damage against a solid Darlington defence, while Quakers were equally blunt.

James Gray was given his debut, the sixth different striker to start a game this season, as Liddle made three changes with Exodus Geohagon and livewire midfielder John McReady also recalled.

The former youth team playmaker showed his talent in flashes with one incident during the first half being his stand-out moment.

A perfectly-timed tackle on Will Salmon was followed by a Cruyff-turn to go past Jon Adams, and Liddle admitted: "We had a laugh about that at half-time because I think that's about the first time in four years I've seen him win a tackle. He was proud of that one, no doubt he'll try and get it on dvd."

But he was unable to fashion a goal and that Quakers' sole strike came from the spot was no surprise.

Bridge-Wilkinson's third penalty of the season came after Ryan Bowman had been tripped by Telford captain Shane Killock in the 20th minute and, aside from Sam Russell making a flying save to stop Greg Mills' free-kick, Darlington were comfortable.

The lead could have been doubled just before the break, but Courtney Pitt produced a tremendous last-ditch tackle to deny Jamie Chandler, but it was not to matter.

The second period was similarly underwhelming. Liddle's side may have been less convincing, but they prevented Telford, managed by Cramlington-born former Tottenham winger Andy Sinton, from seriously testing Russell.

A challenge by Graeme Lee prevented Brown from getting a clean contact, while at the other end substitute James Walshaw was beaten to the ball by Killock's diving header as Bowman cut in from the left.

Walshaw put a header into Ryan Young's arms from a Kris Taylor cross during a nerve-fraught five minutes of injury time that saw Telford mount a desperate bid for an equaliser.

To their credit, Darlington stood firm and Liddle added: "I used the off-the-field matters as a motivation. In the past when we've been in administration people have stuck together and I think we've got that again, especially in the last five minutes when we were under the cosh.

"They had a couple of free-kicks and on another day they might have gone in, but credit to the lads for digging in.

"I think it was a siege mentality and there's a lot of happy and relieved boys in that dressing room."