DARLINGTON manager Martin Gray has told his players to take nothing for granted when they go to third from bottom Nuneaton in the National League North on Saturday.

Quakers came from behind in a thriller to beat Stockport County 2-1 on Wednesday night to climb back up to fourth in the table and two points off the leaders, but Gray won’t accept any drop in standards against a team that has only won once in the league this season.

“It isn’t a given that we’ll win,” he said. “One thing we’ve noticed in this league is that we have to work hard right the way up to the 95th minute when the final whistle sounds. We’ve had to work hard to earn every point, and we need to continue doing that.

"Just because Nuneaton are third bottom doesn’t mean that it will be any different, it won’t be.”

Quakers have been involved in several thrilling encounters already this season – they’re unbeaten away in four away games so far -and Gray said: “I don’t think the recent games have done any good for people’s blood pressure!

"In many games we’ve missed the opportunity to kill teams off and win games more comfortably. It’s not ideal, it’s not how we want it to be, but we’ve stuck to our task.

"We were solid and disciplined on Wednesday, we kept a great shape and defended well from the front. We must take that mentality and philosophy into the Nuneaton game.”

Gray heads to Warwickshire with injury doubts over defenders Kev Burgess and Gary Brown, as well as winger Josh Gillies, which will probably mean that Terry Galbraith and Chris Hunter will continue in the centre of defence, with Jordan Watson in at left back.

But he shrugged off those problems, and said: “Every club has the same pressures at this stage of the season, especially when we’re playing two games per week. We’re no different to anybody else.

“It is what it is, we don’t use injuries as an excuse. You’d love to have everyone available, but it doesn’t work like that.

“Instead they give an opportunity to other players to step up. I thought the players who stepped into various positions the other night did very well, especially Jordan Watson, who has waited patiently for his chance.”

Winger Adam Mitchell scored his first goal of the season in midweek to clinch the points against Stockport, and he said: “The games in this league are more entertaining, more exciting and are being watched by more people.

"It’s definitely nail biting for us on the field – not only has there been the Stockport game, but also the FC United, Gloucester and Curzon Ashton wins. We need to keep focussing. We don’t really look at the table, we leave that to the fans.

“We take each game as it comes, put the performances in and get the points. The table will take care of itself.”

The club is holding another of its popular fans’ forums, on Friday, October 7 at Blackwell Meadows beginning at 7pm.