Darlington have started the season in style and manager Dave Penney believes their only defeat, in the Carling Cup could prove to be a blessing in disguise.

League Two victories over Wrexham and Accrington Stanley sandwich a cup defeat at Barnsley, who were drawn away to Newcastle United in round two.

While some of Quakers' League Two rivals will be involved in cup competition next Tuesday followed by the Johnstone's Paint Trophy the week after, Darlington will be enjoying two free midweeks which Penney says are welcome breaks.

He compares the situation to his back-to-back promotion seasons at Doncaster Rovers, in 2002/03 and 03/04, when his team lost in the early rounds of each cup competition which, he says, encouraged better displays in the league.

Tomorrow Quakers face Notts County at the Darlington Arena and Penney said: "We couldn't have asked for much better start to the season.

"We had a hiccup at Barnsley, which was probably our best performance, and I know it's an old saying but being out of the League Cup does allow us to concentrate on the league.

"You hear managers saying that a lot but that's because it's true.

"During the two years we got promotion at Doncaster we went out early on in the cups and that allowed us to focus on the league, it gives you rest time and time to get over injuries.

"That's what we'll be doing as we haven't got midweek games in the cups.''

In contrast to Darlington's two wins from two games, Notts County arrive at the Arena tomorrow yet to win this season and they will be without striker Jason Lee.

The combative forward has received a three-match ban, effective immediately.

He has only received one yellow card this season and not been sent off, but he is banned after the Football Association investigated a complaint made by Brentford following their draw last week.

Darlington defender Alan White had been set to face his former team-mate and Penney, who likens Lee to Quakers' Tommy Wright, said: "Alan would've been looking forward too playing against Jason Lee.

"We'll be speaking to Alan about one or two things, about certain Notts County players players, but not Jason Lee!

"He's a big lad, he's a threat at set-pieces and puts himself about a bit just like Tommy Wright does and you need someone like that in your team.

"I had Leo-Fortune West at Doncaster who was very similar. He put himself about a bit among the defenders. Every time the ball came into the box he wouldn't let defenders get a clear header on it so the ball would drop in their penalty area.

"So there is a lot to be said about those kind of players at this level.