DAVID Hodgson has sought to reignite Darlington's play-off push by drafting in striker Jemal Johnson from Champions League chasing Blackburn Rovers.

The American frontman will go straight into today's squad for the match against Chester with Hodgson telling his players they have a week in which to save their season.

Johnson, who is effectively a replacement for fellow loanee Kyle Lafferty who was recalled by Burnley at the end of last month, was previously with Leicester City and Preston.

The New Jersey-born 20-year-old, who moved to Macclesfield when he was five and was originally on Manchester United's books, has been a Quakers target for some time.

Johnson, who was on-loan at Preston earlier this season, appeared briefly as a substitute in Blackburn's 4-3 Premiership victory over Manchester United last month, and Hodgson said: "Jemal has blistering pace and will cause defences all sorts of problems."

He will need to as Hodgson says Quakers must win today and beat League leaders Carlisle next week if they are to prolong their season.

Eight points adrift of the play-offs with 11 games to go, the Quakers boss knows there is no longer any leeway.

In the past the odd blip could be ignored, such is the anybody-can-beat-anybody mentality of League Two.

Hodgson can vouch for that more than most. Having endured two six-match winless streaks already this season, and on the back of their current slump - without a win in five - it is a wonder Quakers are still in contention for a play-off place.

On current form, many are seemingly resigned to a 15th consecutive season in the Football League's bottom tier.

But, while the odds may be stacked against a late surge, Hodgson wants to start the revival today.

"One week, commencing at 3pm on Saturday, is crucial," he said. "We need to win two games on the bounce without question. We can't afford to be coming in at the final whistle hoping somebody else has slipped up.

"There are still 11 games to go and 33 points to play for so we're by no means out of it."

Even by Hodgson's optimistic standards, an improvement on last season's eighth-placed finish is looking tougher by the week.

But, if supporters are reflecting on another near miss come May, Hodgson will be quick to remind them of the plight they were in only two years ago, when Quakers were saved from both the threat of closure and relegation.

"The good thing is fans haven't been able to say 'it's over' for a long time," he said. "Normally, they would be asking 'can we stay in the league?'

"If we don't win our next two games I will quite happily join that band in saying it is over."

But, given Quakers' recent demise and their record against under-achieving teams, Hodgson has refuted any suggestion that the visit of Chester, who have lost five of their last six league outings, is a banana skin.

He said: "Everybody has given up on us - we have nothing to lose and everything to gain."

With just two goals scored during the last five games Quakers have failed to win, Hodgson is in no doubt where his problems lie.

In addition to the arrival of Johnson, Andy Cooke has extended his stay for a second month from Bradford City.

"We have gone to Peterborough and Orient and played well and got nothing," said Hodgson. "Why? Because we haven't had a natural goalscorer."

Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu scored 11 goals prior to departing for Cardiff in January. Ndumbu-Nsungu has played only a bit-part role in the Championship and Hodgson believes it may have suited both parties better if the striker had remained at the 96.6 TFM Darlington Arena.

"If Guy had stayed, as opposed to playing the odd game for Cardiff, you would have thought he'd have scored at least four more goals for us," he said. "If that had been the case we would have won at least one more game.

"If we'd had a stable strikeforce since the beginning of the season we would have been sitting in that top five.

"Morale would have been better too, because when he left I think everyone suffered."

Former Quakers winger Jason St Juste is training with Bradford City. He was released by Southampton earlier this season and was recently on trial at Huddersfield.

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