IF only – two words clubs can use while looking back on critical moments when points have been dropped, the accumulation of which can prove the difference between success and otherwise.

Darlington are no different. At home to Salford City in January they conceded an unjust last-minute winner, and three days later led 1-0 at Alfreton until goalkeeper James Talbot conceded a penalty in the dying seconds.

That’s three points which slipped through Quakers’ grasp, and Saturday saw another of those frustrating ‘if only’ moments.

Nuneaton Town, an unimpressive mid-table team with nothing to play for, were there for the taking at Blackwell Meadows, the Warwickshire visitors doing nothing to warrant anything more than a point.

Quakers played the better football during an unremarkable contest but did not take their chances and, with Thursday’s win at Spennymoor Town still in their legs, ran out of gas, a dull game ending 0-0.

Gatecrashing the play-offs was only a mathematical possibility, not a realistic one, and missing out is not a failure, far from it, this has been a revival.

Darlington suffered a traumatic six-month period in the middle of 2017, starting with being excluded from the play-offs at the end of last season, followed by Martin Gray’s departure and the consequential transition period that followed.

A season of consolidation was required, a period during which to build for next season, and that’s exactly what Wright and assistant Alan White have delivered.

Wright said: “Whitey said the other day that two months ago we would have loved it if we knew were going to be safe from relegation with four games to go, but then we’re talking before today’s game and there was still a chance of the play-offs.

“In the space of a week the conversation had gone from trying to stay up, to possibly going up.

“The lads will leave the ground with a point, we probably should have had three, but I don’t want them thinking ‘what if’ at the end of the season.

“They’ve done well over a 16 or 17-game period now and we’ve got to take that as a positive.”

That Quakers have remained in the play-off equation this long has generated a momentum that can be taken into next season.

That’s where play-off hopes are pinned, it’s where focus lies as a result of a promising period of results since January.

Wright’s side have now lost only twice in 15 games, and kept seven clean sheets in that time – they only managed seven all last season.

He added: “The lads have really been enjoying their football, it’s been a case of whatever happens happens.

“Part of me wants the season to end and part of me wants it to continue because the lads are having a great time and the fans have got smiles on their faces.”

The smiles would have been bigger, however, had Darlington beaten Nuneaton.

Reece Styche had an off day, volleying over a good chance after Ben O’Hanlon crossed from the left, Dave Syers fired over the top after meeting a Stephen Thompson cross, and when Darlington did have the ball in the net five minutes before the break it was ruled out for offside.

“I thought we played the better football and had the best chances,” said Wright. “The build-up play for Dave Syers’ offside goal was unbelievable and that would have been goal of the season nailed on.”

Those chances all came before the half-time break, at which point Chorley, Spennymoor and York were all losing.

Wright said: “I did tell the lads what the scores were at half-time for those three clubs because I wanted to see if I got a response, but I didn’t want to weigh them down with any thoughts about having to win.

“The lads have been playing without fear, we haven’t been putting pressure on them or saying things like ‘we have to win today, we have to get in the play-offs’.”

However, little of note occurred during a flat second period. Both sets of players wilted in the heat, the glorious sunshine making for pleasant conditions for supporters but not the players.

Nuneaton showed no attacking intent, while Syers’ day was typified when he missed at close-range when the ball rebounded to him, and in the final minute sub James Caton cut inside and drew the best save of the game from Ross Etheridge.

Ten of Quakers’ starting XI also started at Spennymoor, Gary Brown replacing Tom Portas at right-back the exception.

“Nine or ten of the players have played a lot of football in a short period, so tiredness was always going to be a factor,” admitted Wright, who was without Dom Collins and Luke Trotman, both due to hamstring problems.

Brown was starting his first home game since Chorley in January, when he helped the club win £20,000 after diving into a mound of snow celebrating a Styche goal, but there was to be no celebrations this time.