DARLINGTON'S players gave everything as they began life without Alun Armstrong - but they were still beaten at Prokit Road.

It was more of the same that led to some poor results under previous manager Armstrong – missed chances and a sloppy goal conceded.

But there could be no mistaking the strong togetherness and all-out effort that was generated since Armstrong’s exit by the caretaker trio of Will Hatfield, Jake Lawlor and Tom Platt.

Hatfield was always pushing forward in midfield alongside Platt despite the 33-degree heat, and said afterwards: "There was plenty of effort, and we couldn’t have asked for any more from the boys. It was so disappointing, because Bishop’s Stortford only had one chance and scored.

"I thought Andrew Nelson’s strike at the start of the second half was going in all day, and their keeper pulled off an unbelievable save and it fell to Finlay Barnes, who I thought was going to tap it in, but the keeper pulled off another worldy save.

"We couldn’t have done any more in the second half, I thought there was only going to be one team that would win it, but again it was the same old story. We conceded a sloppy goal and it’s cost us three points.

"It’s been a tough week, we couldn’t have asked for any more from the players. They’ve stuck with it, and now we’ve got to keep going."

The caretaker trio spent a lot of time on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning preparing for the game, and Hatfield said" “The result was disappointing considering all the effort we put in. The lads really took to it, they have been brilliant ever since they heard the news that Alun was leaving.

"The fans also turned out in their numbers and stuck with us. They knew the effort we put in, especially in the second half. We played some good stuff, moved the ball really well but we need the cutting edge to put the ball in the back of the net."

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The trio are more than likely to be still in charge for Friday’s FA Cup tie with Workington as the search for a new boss continues this week.

Quakers started the game well, and created a chance in the opening minutes when Jacob Hazel laid the ball off for Ben Liddle to fire over the top.

Quakers had some more promising breaks with Barnes – who can’t play in the FA Cup this week because parent club York won’t allow him to – quite prominent.

The home side scored out of the blue on 28 minutes. A ball into the box saw keeper Tommy Taylor collide with an opponent, and as the Darlington defence hesitated, the ball ran for Tom Derry, whose effort was cleared off the line, but Darren Foxley was there to fire into the bottom corner.

Quakers nearly levelled just on half-time when Nelson crossed from the left for Barnes to head over, and again soon after the break when Nelson shrugged off two defenders and hit a rasping right-foot shot that keeper Jack Giddens pushed against the bar, and then he recovered quickly to stop the follow-up from Barnes.

It was all Quakers after that. Ben Liddle chipped the keeper, but the ball landed on the roof of the net, then Hazel did well to set up Nelson, whose drive was blocked by a desperate defender.

Sub Cameron Salkeld produced two good crosses into the box from the right, one that Barnes couldn’t quite reach and the second that Nelson headed just over the top.

Quakers had five up front for the closing stages, and one of them, Kallum Griffiths, was narrowly wide from a cross by Salkeld from the left, and in the closing seconds Platt headed across the face of goal.