There might have been racing at Hereford on Saturday, but the Bulls were not at the races as the better side Darlington strolled to an easy win at Edgar Street.
Hereford didn't create enough chances or do well enough to test the visiting keeper in the disappointing defeat to the mid-table side.
In front of 2,960 at Edgar Street, Bulls fans saw an unchanged side take on Darlington with lots of optimism around the sunny ground ahead of kick-off.
Attacking the Blackfriars End in the first half, the Bulls looked to put the Quakers under pressure with three early set pieces, though were caught offside from one short corner and then Matt Preston couldn't break away from the pack quick enough to get onto the end of a floated Alex Babos free kick to head it home.
While Darlington threatened with Will Hatfield's shot from an acute angle, albeit an easy save for Theo Richardson between the sticks, the Bulls tried again as Yusifu Ceesay was denied a clear-cut chance with a strong Toby Lees block.
As more corners came for the hosts, they couldn't properly test visiting keeper Peter Jameson with the most promising of the chances seeing Kyle Howkins heading straight at him.
Back in front of the Meadow End, Carlisle United 19-year-old midfielder Sam Hetherington managed to win a corner after his speculative shot from outside the area took a slight deflection as it fizzed just wide of the top left-hand corner of Richardson's goal - though the corner came to nothing.
Before the break, both sides tried again to break the deadlock - Ramaye Campbell unable to get enough on a Jaiden White's free kick and Lees heading wide from a corner - though nothing separated the two sides who have largely cancelled each other out.
Half time: Hereford 0 - Darlington 0
Into the second half, a flurry of early half-chances for both sides might have given fans hope of a more entertaining 45, that balloon was soon popped as the Bulls fell a goal behind. With Jaiden White in possession on the edge of the Quakers' 18-yard box, he was dispossessed with a controversial tackle which allowed the visitors to break away. With the ball played down to Cedric Main on the left, who C and D block exclaimed was offside, he whipped a cross over to Matty Cornish who'd left Levi Andoh for dust before burying the ball past Richardson.
While the Bulls followed this up with two efforts - the first seeing Andoh heading straight at Jameson from a free kick and Keiran Glynn unable to connect with a wicked White cross - they couldn't pull themselves back level before Darlington had the ball in the back of the net again.
This time though it was ruled out for Hatfield handling the ball before unleashing his shot, though Hereford's disorganised defence was at sixes and sevens with the well-rehearsed break.
Chasing the game, Paul Caddis introduced Tate Campbell and Jason Cowley for Kieran Glynn and Dylan Mitchell, though having been over-run in a toothless midfield without Sammy Robinson it was unlikely to improve things.
And things did soon go from bad to worse as Darlington doubled their lead. Jack Maskell, regularly proving problematic for the Bulls, did well down the left to once again cross over to an unmarked Cornish to volley past Richardson.
With the three other subs made, Lawson D'Ath, Lewis Hudson and Andy Williams on for Babos, Andoh, and White, there were two late chances for the hosts but Matt Preston's effort after turning and shooting on the spot in the box was an easy save for Jameson
before Tate Campbell headed over, rounding off a disappointing afternoon for Hereford who failed to properly test the keeper.
Full time: Hereford 0 - Darlington 2
Attendance: 2,960 (91 away)
Sponsors' man of the match: Ramaye Campbell
Hereford: Richardson, Skinner, Howkins, Preston, Andoh (D'Ath 72'), Glynn (T Campbell 68'), Mitchell (Cowley 68'), White (Williams 79'), Babos (Hudson 79'), Ceesay, R Campbell
Darlington: Jameson, Hedley, Lees, Forbes, Barrow, Cornish (Bakre 89'), Hatfield, Flint, Hetherington (Rivers 71'), Maskell, Main (Andrecucci 86')
Subs not used: Maddison, Stirland.