At this embryonic stage of the season when poor results or weaknesses are usually deemed less crucial given that there's time to rectify them, Darlington's problems have been generally perceived as a lack of killer instinct in front of goal.

There has been a blatant need for someone in the final third to finish off the build-up play and to put the ball in the net.

Manager David Hodgson said a proven goalscorer would make all the difference; he'd hold the ball up and would be getting on the end of the wasted chances - it was hoped he was right because after failing to replace Barry Conlon the Matt Clarke-Craig Russell partnership did little to temper anxieties.

For all the pair's efforts rarely did they give Hodgson reason to cancel, or even postpone, his quest for a goal-getter which eventually ended with the high profile signing of Alun Armstrong - a player with real pedigree and a good scoring record.

He's the man upon which all hopes have been pinned, the final piece of a jigsaw.

But since the opening weeks of the season, Darlington's form has dipped and it's become clear that it's going to take more than the addition of Armstrong to turn Quakers into a winning team.

Hodgson would still like to bring in a forward to play alongside Armstrong - preferably Blackburn's Jemal Johnson - but no matter who leads the line, without assistance from the rest of the team the strikers aren't going to score.

No longer can the lack of goals be simply attributed to the absence of a striker as the whole team, midfield especially, should be creating chances.

It's their role to put the forwards in shooting positions but on Saturday service to Armstrong and Neil Wainwright was almost non-existent.

Hodgson may have been satisfied with the improved performance at Macclesfield but it didn't take much to better the previous week's shambles.

It was the third game on the trot - Rochdale away and then Northampton at home last week - in which Hodgson's side has failed to shine.

Pre-Rochdale, in patches at least, Quakers played some decent, if not amazing, football.

The performance at Yeovil was particularly impressive but since, and including, the 1-1 draw at Spotland, a performance glossed over by the late, late equaliser from debut boy Craig Hignett, there's been a lack of the entertaining play normally associated with Hodgson's teams.

In the two games Armstrong has led the attack Darlington have turned in lacklusture performances which have done little to either assist or impress the ex-Middlesbrough striker who admitted after Saturday's defeat "there's not as much passing" in League Two.

In truth there was plenty of passing at Macclesfield, probably too much of it and a lot of it was in the middle of the pitch and the final ball was often lacking.

That's why Quakers had only two shots on target at Moss Rose.

The lack of familiarity as a result of continually chopping and changing team selection can't be conducive to producing a winning team either.

Of Saturday's starting XI only five began the first game of the season and the team was Hodgson's tenth different combination in 11 league and cup games.

Hopefully, Hodgson will make at least one more change when Southend United visit the Williamson Motors Stadium on Saturday because the need for Hignett pulling the strings behind the front two was very clear at the weekend.

After just two games in black and white Hignett, it has become clear, is going to be a pivotal figure and without him then Darlington don't appear to have much hope of scoring.

Only once have Quakers scored more than goal in a game this season, and that was a 3-0 win over a poor Chester City while the only other three point haul was a fortunate opening day victory over Grimsby Town.

The right blend must soon be found because right now, without a win in five matches, Quakers are in the midst of what could turn into a freefall dive to the bottom unless Hignett can return by carrying on where he left off while the team must also provide some ammunition for Armstrong.

Hignett was missing through injury at Macclesfield and his absence only served to enhance his reputation.

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