When winger Roberts, Town's only ever present man, clashed with Quakers midfielder Ricky Ravenhill on 37 minutes he was shown a straight red by Cambridgeshire referee Kevin Wright as Ravenhill was stretchered off.

From distance, it seemed no worse than the challenge which cost Ravenhill a booking a few minutes earlier for a block on David Unsworth that led to the Town defender missing the second half.

While suggesting that some of his squad might be looking to their future after another unacceptable performance, Town manager Stan Ternent stuck up for Roberts, who is likely to be charged with serious foul play.

He said: "It seemed a reckless tackle by Ravenhill who had come sliding in. Roberts kicked the ball away and with the other lad blocking it there was a coming together.

"I've asked the referee to look at the video and we'll have a look at it. If there are grounds, we'll ask the referee to reconsider."

Ternent was angry over his team's first-half performance, for they offered no serious threat to their League Two hosts.

"We were off the pace and that proved costly," he said.

Against 10 men, Darlington poured on the pressure and grabbed what proved the deciding goal just before the break when a Neil Austin free-kick was headed in by centre back Alan White.

It was the Quakers' lone breakthrough, though David Poole smashed a volley against the bar.

Town keeper Alex Smithies, making his first appearance of the season as Matt Glennon was rested, also saved well from Steve Foster.

The second half saw Town dominate but a side showing ten changes from that which lost to League One leaders Leicester on Saturday – Roberts the sole survivor – lacked the cutting edge to get through a solid Quakers defence.

However, substitutes Joe Skarz, operating in midfield and Jon Worthington added extra graft while Andy Butler supplied solidity at the back.

Town went close seven minutes after the restart when Butler, on for Unsworth, headed a Robbie Williams cross against the bar.

Keigan Parker later curled his finish from a Skarz pass narrowly wide, Skarz had a header saved and Danny Cadamarteri and Andy Holdsworth had efforts cleared from near the line.

It was a plucky show by 10-man Town, but a lack of firepower remains a worry for fans.

Ternent said: "The league is our priority but it was still disappointing to lose.

"this competition represents the best chance of teams at our level getting to Wembley.

"The first half was disappointing from what I've come to expect from the players.

"But the second half was very good – there were lots of positives and Alex Smithies was one of them."

"We were excellent in the second half, had a real go and could have got something out of it.

"I found out a lot of things about some of the players.