In a fixture which matched pupil Mike Davies, now manager of TNS, against his former boss Andy Cale, who moved to the Robins in the summer, both sides could take some positives from the game.
The hosts overcame the loss of three players to injury in the first-half to produce a superb second-half display and, despite being so depleted they were forced to bring veteran ex-Walsall and Rochdale defender Wayne Evans out of retirement, the visitors produced a resilient first-half show.
TNS took the lead on 17 minutes when Newtown’s defence failed to clear and the ball fell to Darlington, who lobbed into the far corner from the tightest of angles.
The Robins forged a couple of openings with Gareth Partridge firing over the target and Chris Hartland heading just wide.
The Saints found it difficult to produce any cohesive football and lost Danny Holmes to a hamstring strain and striker Chris Sharp, who was knocked unconscious before being forced-off.
Replacement Connell Rawlinson only lasted 21 minutes before he was stretchered-off with suspected ankle ligament damage.
A reorganised Saints came out with purpose after the break and soon doubled their lead in farcical circumstances. Keeper Dave Roberts mis-kicked his clearance to the right-hand touchline and, when a Newtown player managed to head the ball back into play, Darlington fired home from 35 yards with Roberts stranded as he tried to recover the situation.
The Saints were denied a goal when Roberts fumbled a Matthew Berkeley shot and retrieved it from behind the goal line, with the assistant well behind the play.
But, when Dave Swanick climbed all over Craig Jones, Darlington completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot and added his fourth from a breakaway move to put the icing on the cake.
It could have been worse for the Robins, with Roberts making a smart point blank save to deny Craig Jones who also headed against the bar and hammered a shot against the post after turning Paul Keddle inside out, while Richie Partridge hit the angle as well as fluffing a couple of good chances.
Photo: Alex Darlington lobs keeper Dave Roberts for the first of his four goals.