SO far, so good is Martin Gray’s verdict on Darlington’s topsy-turvy first month of the season.

Quakers start September by heading to Southport, a club two places and two points above Gray’s team, who are without a win in four matches.

Darlington won their first three fixtures, however, including the opener at Salford City, and a draw at York was also a notable result during August’s seven games.

There’s a similarly packed schedule in September – five league games, plus a potential two rounds in the FA Cup – and Gray is looking for improvement.

“It’s been a good start to the season but you always want more,” said the manager, whose team drew 1-1 last Saturday at North Ferriby and with Spennymoor Town on Monday.

“It was two points dropped at Ferriby, but York away is a good point for anybody in this league.

“Against Telford, we were disappointed not to get a win. The performance wasn’t great on the back of the York game, but you should be getting a point there.

“There hasn’t been a hangover from last season, that’s the most important thing.

“The win at Salford got people going again, encouraged belief in the group and among the fans.

“But the league is tougher this year than it was last year. Fylde were promoted and Salford have replaced them as the big hitters. There are some strange results too, Bradford Park Avenue winning 4-1 at Telford the other week, and both Chorley and Kidderminster have started the season poorly.

“Every weekend there’s a shock result and you’re thinking ‘where did that come from?’”

Monday’s result might have been different had referee Paul Brown awarded Darlington a second-half penalty, when David Ferguson appeared to be tripped by Kallum Griffiths, an incident Gray is still sore about.

“Spennymoor started quite well, but we should have been 1-0 up with a Mark Beck header, he should have scored,” said the manager.

“We definitely should have had a penalty for a foul on David Ferguson, but we didn’t make their keeper make enough saves at all. A neutral would probably say a draw was fair.”

While Quakers were playing Spennymoor, Southport were losing for the first time this season, a 2-1 defeat at Salford City thanks to a late own goal.

Darlington will have a new player in their squad today having brought in teenage defender Jack Vaulks from Crook Town.

Vaulks, who has signed a two-year contract, has also represented the Durham County under-18s, in the same team as Quakers midfielder Dale Milburn.

Arran Wearmouth has left the club on a permanent basis, joining Northern League title hopefuls West Auckland, where he has been on loan for a month.

His exit provides a small financial boost as Quakers have received a fee for his services having signed him on a free transfer in May 2016 from Blyth Spartans.

A major injury, however, meant Wearmouth was out for most of the campaign and played only briefly towards the end of last season, so was unable to give a full account of his abilities.

Today will be Darlington’s third visit to Southport’s Haig Avenue, or the Merseyrail Community Stadium as it’s now known. They drew 1-1 in April, 2011, and lost 2-0 in February, 2012, when David Ferguson made his debut.