Darlington's decline shows no sign of halting.

They missed a chance to climb back into the play off places when they were beaten 2-0 at home by Curzon Ashton - their eighth match without a win, tumbling out of the play-offs in the process.

They were beaten by a goal in each half, but they created and missed some good chances in the first half, and were furious when referee Darren Rogers failed to send off Curzon defender Marcus Poscha for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity.

The result leaves Quakers eighth in the table, a point behind the play-offs because of Alfreton’s draw with Banbury.

Curzon had the first chance from a corner on 6 minutes. The ball was floated over into the middle from the right, and Jimmy Spencer’s header was saved low down by Darlington keeper Tommy Taylor.

Curzon gained another free kick a few minutes later on the left, and Taylor claimed the ball when it was lifted into the middle.

But Quakers slowly got back into the game, and Liddle missed a great chance to open the scoring when he headed just wide from a Ben Hedley cross from the right, and then Jacob Hazel forced Curzon keeper Chris Renshaw into a good save from an effort from the edge of the box.

Hazel then had another right foot attempt a few minutes later that just missed the upright.

But Quakers went a goal down on 25 minutes, Adam Barton got away down the right and crossed into the middle for Hayden Campbell to have a header saved, but the ball ran loose for Will Hayhurst to tap in.

Quakers were furious with referee Darren Rogers on 28 minutes. Lambert sent Hazel bursting away with a 40 yard pass, but Hazel was pulled back by Poscha, who appeared to be the last man, but the referee only showed him a yellow to the fury of the Darlington players.

Lambert’s free-kick was deflected for a corner, which was curled in by him and bounced off the top of the crossbar.

Quakers were unlucky a few minutes later when another Lambert inswinger deflected off a defender and almost into his own net.

In the second half, Quakers put the Curzon defence under some early pressure, but the visitors nearly made it 2-0 on 59 minutes when Craig Mahon’s free kick from 30 yards flew over the defensive wall and smacked against the crossbar.

Quakers sent on Kaine Felix for Jake Cooper, but they nearly went further behind when Hayhurst broke through and forced Taylor into a great save, and when the ball came back into the Darlington box, Taylor saved again from Hall at point blank range.

Quakers were denied again a few minutes later when Liddle crossed low from the left for Hazel to have two point blank efforts blocked by defenders on the line.

Curzon gained from their escape and broke up the other end for Mahon to cross into the middle for Hayhurst to beat Taylor with a header from six yards.

The home side could have pulled one back when sub Jacob Blyth nodded the ball down for fellow sub Kaine Felix in the second yard box, but he couldn’t get his shot on target.

Darlington: Taylor, Hedley, Sukar, Cooper, (sub Felix 62) Lawlor, Newall, Liddle (Blyth 76), Purver (Moke 76) Lambert, Nelson, Hazel. Subs not used: Rose, Brookwell

Curzon Ashton: Renshaw, Poscha, Matthews, Boyle, Peers (Armstrong 88), Hayhurst, Waring, Spencer, Mahon, Barton, Campbell (Hall 58). Subs not used: Hancock, Richards

Attendance: 1,159