DARLINGTON assistant manager Terry Mitchell says Quakers must win two out of their remaining four matches to stay up, beginning with tomorrow's game at Warrington.

After looking good in terms of avoiding a bottom-four place after a run of seven wins from nine matches, Darlington have now lost their last two against Rushall and Chorley to leave them two points above fourth-bottom Rushall Olympic, who have a game in hand.

One of Rushall’s five remaining games is against Bishop’s Stortford, who haven’t won in the league yet in 2024, hence Quakers’ minimum requirement of two wins. They have home games against Southport and Farsley after tomorrow, and an away trip to Chester on the final day of the season.

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“I still believe that we need two wins from four games,” said Mitchell. “We’ve got to start winning them soon, we can’t leave it until the last two games.

“We’ve said it all along, that we try to win every game, and that’s what we’ll be going to Warrington to do. We’ll decide how to set up once we’ve reviewed Friday's game, and helped the players develop on a couple of things.

“It’s all about us, and how we play – we’ve got to win two matches. We’ve got to concentrate on four positive performances, and by the law of averages you would like to think that we’ll win at least two of those. There’s no point in feeling sorry, we will be positive. We have to concentrate on ourselves and not worry about those below and around us.

“I thought in the first half last Friday, it was an even game and we created some good chances. Yes, we scored a great goal, but it wasn’t given. It came from one of our best passages of play in that first half. Cameron Salkeld took the goal very well - there were some parts in that half in which we played very well.

“But there were little bits that the lads know they have to improve upon. They should have defended better, they conceded goals from two similar situations. Those mistakes can be rectified, and the lads held their hands up, they know they can do better.”

Quakers will be taking at least 300 supporters with them to Cheshire, and Mitchell said: “The fans have been brilliant ever since Steve (Watson) and I came to the club. The support has been unbelievable hone and away, and I’m sure they’ll be right behind us.”

Quakers will be close to full strength, with some minor knocks on Friday hopefully cleared up in time.

Warrington suffered a blow to their play-off hopes when they were held to a 2-2 draw by Scarborough on Friday, which means that they are five points behind the top seven.

However, they are racing against time to make sure that their ground is up to league standard with construction work currently taking place.

Elsewhere in National League North, Spennymoor Town are hoping to revive their play off hopes at home to Farsley Celtic tomorrow.

Moors are three points behind the play-off places with five games remaining after losing to South Shields on Friday, and manager Graeme Lee said: “I was disappointed with Friday’s performance, it wasn’t like the previous seven games which we’d won.

“Our intensity, working as a team, our work-rate, decision making – we didn’t have any of that. The lads seemed flat from the start and the response to going 1-0 down wasn’t there.

“We want a response now. We’ve had a fantastic winning run that’s come to an end. And now we’ve got to forget about Friday’s performance, and be ready to go against Farsley.”