Darlington arrived late last night because they had mechanical trouble closing the door on the team coach.

But the Division Three minnows had no such problem slamming it shut on City's hopes of making it over the first hurdle of the newly-renamed Carling Cup.

The title of the competition may have changed but sadly the same could not be said of the home side's performance. Call the cup what you like, City have lost the knack of knock-outs.

Final score: Bradford City 0, Darlington 0. Darlington won 5-3 on penalties.

Darlington had required the assistance of two police motorcyclists to whisk them through rush hour traffic from the A1. But no help was needed at the Bradford & Bingley Stadium as the keen-as-mustard visitors refused to play second fiddle to opposition two divisions above.

Forget the fact that the win was secured on penalties, the most unsatisfactory manner possible. The best team on the night still won and deservedly so.

It was only for the first 20 minutes of the second half that City gave an indication of the gulf in class that should have existed between the sides. During that spell, the Bantams finally threatened to turn the screw and Darlington showed signs of panic.

But for all the huffing and puffing, there was little on the end of it to trouble the Quakers' debut-making goalkeeper Mike Price. All the best chances in the two hours of goalless football before the spot-kicks came from Darlington.

An early warning was sounded after four minutes when Simon Francis made his only mistake and let a long ball go. Glen Robson, signed from non-league Blyth Spartans in the summer, was on it in a flash and whipped in a snap-shot which Mark Paston batted out.

The giant Kiwi was in convincing form throughout but he was a helpless spectator ten minutes later when Darlington hit the woodwork for the first time.

Defender Craig Liddle crashed a header against Paston's bar from Ryan Valentine's free-kick. It bounced down off the underside, on to the line and out with City at panic stations.

Luckily Liddle had turned away, thinking he had scored, and Robson had no leverage with the rebound which he looped over.

City responded from a corner which Paul Evans whipped low to Dean Windass to volley. But his shot was blocked by strike partner Michael Branch, a sign of things to come.

The fans became more and more frustrated as City struggled to create an opening. David Wetherall nodded well wide when he took a cross off the head of the better-placed Windass, who then saw another effort cannon into a wall of black and white shirts.

Darlington's front pair continued to pose more questions with the wily Barry Conlon proving elusive. And after Paston had punched well under pressure, he knocked it straight back into the danger zone where the keeper had to make a brave save at the feet of Ashley Nicholls.

Evans and Tom Kearney were struggling to get a hold in the centre of midfield and Windass and Branch were only getting scraps to feed on up front. It was dire stuff.

And the signs weren't much better at the start of the second half. Francis pulled off a superb goal-saving tackle to deny Robson in the six-yard box and then Wetherall was in the right place at the right time to keep out a blast from Conlon after a rare Darlington corner.

The Bantams had no problems winning corners of their own. They forced nine during the second half alone as Lewis Emanuel began to see more of the ball on the left wing and Darlington were forced back for lengthy periods.

Yet Price, picked up by Mick Tait after being released from Leicester, was hardly put under any serious pressure. His most demanding save was from a long-range effort by Evans which zipped off the turf and required safe hands as Windass waited for any loose ball.

Ben Muirhead turned the Norwich game three days earlier and it seemed he was primed to do the same when he stripped to his shirt after an hour.

But with City enjoying their best spell, Law decided to keep him off until five minutes from the end when the winger replaced Evans.

Still there was time for Muirhead to threaten to play another "get out of jail" card with a storming run cutting in from the right. But unlike Saturday, this time his finish was straight at the keeper.

Muirhead tried again at the start of the extra 30 minutes, latching on to a neat backheel from Windass to force Price's first proper save low to his left.

But Darlington were not fazed and found a second wind, again hitting the woodwork. This time it was a flick header by Robson from David McGurk's centre which looped over Paston and against the far post.

Francis drove wide before Darlo pressed again as Gareth Edds blocked Conlon in front the line and Paston saved well from Robson.

Law threw on Robert Wolleaston, who immediately sent a teasing cross along the six-yard box, and finally Luke Cornwall. But there was no breaking down resolute Darlo.

The away side had the advantage going to penalties which were taken in front of their fans on the pre-match advice of safety officer Roger Holmes.

Up stepped the inexperienced Kearney to take the opening one - and he drove it well wide of the left post. Darlington old boy Paul Heckingbottom, Windass and Andy Gray made no mistake with theirs but the damage had been done.

Darlington were spot on with their five, although Paston was close to saving from Nicholls, and City had lost a second penalty shoot-out in 16 days. But unlike the centenary tournament final against Aberdeen, this one was for real and the chance of a money-spinning cup run had again disappeared down the drain.