ALUN Armstrong has lost count of the amount of times Darlington have shot themselves in the foot by surrendering the lead this season.

Quakers have let 21 points go begging in games in which they have led at some point. They have lost three times after taking the lead and drawn six in games they were winning.

Rhys Day's injury-time equaliser on Saturday denied Quakers maximum points after Clyde Wijnhard's 65th minute opener.

"We really should have had the game wrapped up by half-time," said Armstrong. "We started the second-half a bit sloppy, but once we got the goal we looked comfortable again.

"The game was ours, but unfortunately we conceded late on. I don't know how many times we've done it this year, but we're really making it hard for ourselves."

For the second week running Quakers were left to rue another missed opportunity to tighten their grip on the top seven. With three games to go David Hodgson's men are two points clear of eighth-placed Northampton, who lost for the third consecutive week as they went down at Cheltenham.

"With the way other results went we could have given ourselves a bit of breathing space inside the play-offs," said Armstrong.

"We've got the experience and I'm sure we can use that to our advantage in the weeks ahead."

Hodgson was virtually at a loss for explanations after the defeat at bottom-of-the-table Cambridge seven days earlier.

But after sitting through seven videos - including the defeat at the Abbey Stadium - this week, Hodgson felt that tempo was the key.

Indeed, his theory certainly has substance, given the way Quakers dominated the first half at Field Mill with attractive, fast-flowing football.

"We knew that this was a similar game to Cambridge last week and if we'd started flat there was every chance we would get beat," said Armstrong.

"We had our foot on the pedal from the start and we never really give them a sniff in the first half."

Armstrong will be fit to face Rushden at the Williamson Motors Stadium this weekend after returning to the side on Saturday after a calf injury.

"My calf feels a bit tight, but I think that's to be expected after a couple of games out," said Armstrong.

And the striker is confident he has six games - and not three - to help Quakers ensure League One football next season.

"We have to be positive and believe that we have six games left this season," said Armstrong. "If we do make the play-offs I really believe that we will go up.

"The hard bit is getting there, but if we do make the final, we have the players who can rise to the occasion."

Read more about the Quakers here.