RELEGATION dogfights are nothing new to Darlington defender Matt Clarke.

Last season the 23-year-old played his part in helping Quakers out of a potential relegation scrap.

However, the giant Yorkshireman was not so fortunate with Halifax a year earlier.

It was a move to Quakers in the summer of 2002 which handed Clarke a swift return to the Third Division just months after suffering relegation with the Shaymen, who finished nine points adrift of safety.

And while Quakers remain in the relegation zone despite Saturday's 1-1 draw at Kidderminster, Clarke has plenty of belief that they can stay up.

"I've been in this kind of position before and it is a traumatic time," admitted Clarke.

"We've got a good team of players who are all good professionals and I think they're all capable of fighting until the end.

"I don't think it needs someone like me to tell them to roll their sleeves up because I'm sure they already know."

It wasn't until March last year that Quakers finally secured league safety in the last campaign.

But Clarke and his teammates are well aware that this relegation fight could go down to the wire.

"There were games last season where we would win matches and we've not played half as good football as we are now," said Clarke.

"We can't put our finger on what's gone wrong but it just hasn't been happening for us.

"It just seems as though the balls have been going into the box but not dropping for us.

"We just need that little bit of luck. We got that goal today so we're optimistic."

And having brought a spate of 1-0 defeats - five in their last six games - to an end, Clarke believes it is important to build on Saturday's battling draw at the Aggborough Stadium.

"This was a big result for us," said Clarke. "Obviously we would have liked the three points. To get that point changes everything and we've now got a foundation to work on and hopefully pull ourselves out of trouble."

Read more about the Quakers here.