CONSISTENCY was hardly Darlington's forte last season, but manager Dave Penney believes, with the assistance of his new recruits, he may have solved that problem.

The team's unpredictability in Penney's first season made Quakers every gambler's worst nightmare, with one run of six consecutive wins followed by eight defeats in a row neatly summing up their patchy form.

At this stage 12 months ago, Darlington had two wins and two clean sheets behind them, having shown a huge amount of early promise. Then they went to Boston United, minus star defender Shelton Martis, who had headed north of the Border, and lost 4-1. The rest is history.

Quakers, today, are not hamstrung by such misfortune and Penney believes the arrival of several reliable professionals may have cut out the inconsistency that wrecked the club's play-off chances last season.

A new back four, plus a different goalkeeper, have yet to concede a league goal.

Penney said: "We look better than last year. Last Saturday, at Accrington, we went 1-0 up then were under a bit of pressure. Last year we probably would have conceded at that point so I can see a difference there.

"On the bench I feel a lot more comfortable knowing I've got experienced players like Steve Foster, Tim Ryan and Alan White who can deal with pressure."

Today Darlington, one of only two League Two sides to have won both matches so far, the other being Shrewsbury, host Notts County, who have yet to win this season.

Penney believes League Two clubs will, as is usual at this level, struggle to put decent runs of form together.

But he hopes Darlington will be the exception.

He said: "I think the fact that only two teams have won both matches is a sign of what this division is going to be like.

"Peterborough beat Rochdale 3-0 on the first day of the season and then they beat Southampton in the Carling Cup. I watched that game and they looked well, and I heard people say that they were going to be the champions. Then they were beaten 3-1 at Rotherham.

"You've got to get some consistency and we know if we can defend properly we can always get goals at the other end.

"I don't want to tempt fate but we look quite solid and I want us to carry on defending properly.

"The way to avoid being inconsistent is to sign players you can rely on, consistent players. Steve Foster is a week in, week out player, you know what you're going to get from him.

"Tim Ryan, Alan White and Micky Cummins, you know what you're going to get from them.

"There are certain players you don't know what you're going to get from them, Neil Wainwright for instance.

"The more players you've got that you know are going to give you a seven or an eight out of ten each week, rather than a ten one week and then a four the next, the better."

Penney has this week received mixed news on the injury front.

Neil Austin and Micky Cummins have both recovered from injury but Ricky Ravenhill is suffering with a hamstring strain, while Clark Keltie sustained an ankle knock during training.

As of this season, Quakers train at the Riverside complex in Chester-le-Street, the home of Durham County Cricket Club, who this week returned triumphant from Lord's with the Friends Provident Trophy.

It was Durham's first piece of silverware since entering first-class cricket in 1992 - the year Darlington were relegated to the bottom rung of the Football League, where they have remained ever since, and Penney hopes it proves an omen.

A proud Yorkshireman from Castleford, Penney denies being inspired by Durham's achievements, but admitted: "It could be an omen, lets hope so.

"I wouldn't say we have been inspired to success by them winning.

"It's nice that they've got a trophy but I'm a Yorkshireman through and through.

"It's nice for the county to win some silverware after 15 years in first-class cricket and hopefully we can get some too.

"But I'd rather it had been Yorkshire!"