It was a losing weekend for many of Carlisle United’s collection of players out on loan.

There were defeats in the games involving Luke Armstrong, Taylor Charters, Freddie  O’Donoghue and Dan Hopper, with only Sam Hetherington avoiding defeat.

Hetherington made his second Darlington appearance as a substitute in their National League North trip to Southport.

The 19-year-old was introduced by Quakers boss Steve Watson in the 62nd minute at Haig Avenue.

It ended goalless, with Darlington 10th in the table, Hetherington’s next chance to impress set to come against King’s Lynn Town next weekend.

For Armstrong and seventh-placed Motherwell it was a day to forget in the Scottish Premiership.

The striker made his latest start in the Fir Park clash with tenth-placed Ross County.

But the home side fell to a 3-0 defeat.

Armstrong played the full game as Ross claimed victory thanks to goals from Ronan Hale (two) and Connor Randall.

The Blues man was paired with ex-United frontman Luke Plange, who came off the bench in the second half, but it was a third defeat in three Motherwell outings for Armstrong.

The striker will now be playing under a new manager after Motherwell appointed former Austria Vienna and Nuremberg boss Michael Wimmer today. They face Dundee United at Tannadice next weekend.

Charters, meanwhile, was a substitute in Queen of the South’s Scottish League One home clash with Arbroath.

The midfielder came on at the break after the visitors had stormed into a 3-0 lead inside the first 26 minutes.

Charters and his Doonhamers team-mates could not turn the tide as Peter Murphy’s side fell to a third straight defeat at the hands of the leaders, Queens now fifth in the table.

In Northern League Division One, O’Donoghue started for Dan Kirkup’s Carlisle City, who lost 3-2 at Blyth Town, while Hopper and Penrith were beaten 1-0 at Whickham, for whom ex-Blues youth striker Mason Hardy scored the only goal against Darren Edmondson's visitors.

Injured Jake Allan was not involved for Workington Reds in their 1-0 win over Hyde United in the Northern Premier League Premier Division.

A number of other ex-Carlisle players were in the thick of the weekend action, meanwhile.

The Premier League saw Jarrad Branthwaite get the better of fellow Cumbrian Dean Henderson, the Wigton defender impressing as Everton won 2-1 at Crystal Palace.

Liam Delap, son of Rory, scored his tenth goal of the top-flight season in Ipswich Town’s 1-1 draw at Aston Villa.

In the Championship, James Trafford’s record-breaking run continued with another clean sheet in Burnley’s 0-0 draw at Preston North End.

It is now 11 shut-outs in a row for the Cumbrian – extending the best-ever run by a Championship keeper – as well as a club record 23 shut-outs this season, from just 32 games.

League One saw Owen Moxon in opposition to Jon Mellish, both players starting for their respective clubs as Moxon’s Stockport County won 2-0 at Wigan Athletic for a sixth victory in seven games.

In National League North, Mark Ellis scored his sixth goal in five games as Andy Preece’s Chorley won 2-1 against South Shields, Martin Smith with the visitors’ consolation.

National League South saw Angelo Balanta hit Hornchurch’s consolation in a 2-1 defeat at Torquay United.

The NPL Premier saw Liam Brockbank on target in Bamber Bridge’s 3-2 defeat at FC United of Manchester.

Nic Bollado opened Morpeth Town’s scoring in a 3-1 home win against Prescot Cables.

And George Waring netted Warrington Rylands’ consolation as they lost 3-1 at home to Macclesfield.

In Scotland’s Lowland League, meanwhile, Jordan Wooding-Holt was on target twice for Gretna 2008 in their 6-1 win at Broxburn Athletic.