Darlington set their standards high in Tuesday’s shock win at Rotherham and manager Steve Staunton is demanding they maintain them for the remainder of the season.

Staunton’s side got their season restarted with a 2-1 victory at Rotherham, who, before kick-off, boasted the division’s only unbeaten home record and were fourth in the table.

But Quakers secured victory with a hard-working display and Millers’ boss Ronnie Moore suggested Darlington “wanted it more”.

“We can’t afford to give anything less than we did on Tuesday and if we do, then we’ll be found wanting,” said Staunton, whose side visit Crewe on Saturday. “We’re going to need every man in the squad to give it his all over the next few months.

“We’re bound to have tough times ahead. We’re not going to put in that kind of performance every time, though not through lack of trying, but things will inevitably go against us between now and the end of the season.

“What I’ve said to the players is that I want to see that character and determination, I want to see them work their socks off. They have got ability, they know it, and we’ve got a couple of leaders now.

“We tired towards the end which is understandable because of the amount of work that the players put in during the first 75-80 minutes of the game.

“But if there was one team that was ideal to play at this time then it was Rotherham, as they were the only other team that hasn’t played for as long as us. That was a bonus.”

Both Quakers and Rotherham had not played since December 12, and Moore admitted: “It’s not going to be perfect after nearly six weeks off, but Darlington hadn’t played for exactly the same length of time and they performed better than we did – there’s no excuses.”

Darlington’s focus is now on the trip to Crewe which will be quickly followed by a Tuesday home game with Northampton Town, and then a visit to 21st-placed Cheltenham a week on Saturday.

“It is going to be a big ask now,” said Staunton. “We’ve got three games in a short space of time, then a week’s break, in the sense that it will be Saturday to Saturday, no midweek game.

“What I want to see until the end of the season is the grit and determination that they showed on Tuesday.”