WINNING last weekend eased the pressure at Darlington, though there needs to be a similarly positive result at home today after what has been a poor first quarter of the season.

Fortunes have ebbed and flowed, though the campaign has not been without its highlights.

Quakers played well in games against Spennymoor Town, Brackley, Blyth Spartans and AFC Telford United, but until last weekend had won only once in their previous nine games, and not scored consecutive fixtures.

But then Darlington won for only the third time, beating FC United of Manchester 2-1, Harvey Saunders’ two goals bringing a welcome three points.

“There was pressure on us, there’s no doubt about it,” admitted Stephen Thompson. “We haven’t been doing well and we know that.

“It’s been fine margins. In the Stockport game last time at home I didn’t think we were that bad, we maybe edged it, but we didn’t get the points. It was the same last year when we went through a spell where did okay without winning.

“We’ve got some good players and we’ve had injuries and suspensions. It’s all excuses really.”

Fourth-placed Boston United visit Blackwell today, opposition against which last April Darlington’s run of only one win in ten home games began.

“We need to start winning at home,” admitted manager Tommy Wright. “We keep getting beat 1-0 at home which is a horrible scoreline, we’re not entertaining and we haven’t been playing a great brand of football.

“We want the boys to play entertaining football, I’ve never said we want to play direct football, and we showed it in large glimpses.

“We’re not this long-ball team that some people make out, we’re a passing team, we’ve got good movement and we can be really exciting, especially when the fullbacks overlap.”

Performances were good at the beginning of this season, with the Spennymoor, Brackley and Blyth matches coming consecutively in August, but followed by a 5-2 drubbing at Kidderminster Harriers when Joe Wheatley was dismissed early on.

While the midfielder’s absence through suspension and then injury is not the only reason for the team’s mixed fortunes since, it has been a factor.

Thompson added: “I missed the first game of the season, then when I came back we had the Spenny, Brackley and Blyth matches. I was thinking we had a good chance then.

“But Joe got sent off at Kidderminster and he probably hasn’t been right fitness wise since he came back.

“Hopefully we can get everybody back fit, get everybody playing well and gelling together. There were flashes against Blyth and Brackley where we were brilliant so we need to get back to that.”

Saunders’ brace took him above Thompson in the scoring charts, with the 21-year-old now on four goals and eight in total for the club.

That leaves him 79 short of his seasoned team-mate, who said: “He’s come on leaps and bound his year and that’s probably down to the gaffer, he does a lot of work with him.

“This year I’ve seen a lot of improvement in him. He’s started a few games and he’s deserved it.

“He’s lightning quick and if you put the ball in behind he will cause anybody problems because he’s a willing runner and he doesn’t stop.”

Saunders will start today, though he could have had a hat-trick seven days ago had he not miscontrolled the ball in front of an open goal in the dying seconds.

Thompson added: “Give him the ball to his feet and that’s probably not his game, but the ball in behind and his willingness to run means he’ll get there. His finishing is getting better too, apart from when he fell over at the end!

“He’ll never have an easier chance for a hat-trick, but he was outstanding. We knew he’d be a threat and he proved it. He was a menace and outstanding for us.”

While today’s match comes one year to the day since Wright was named Darlington manager, and there is also another notable anniversary this weekend – tomorrow it will be 40 years since Alan Walsh wore Quakers colours for the first time.

He joined from Middlesbrough and made his debut in a defeat away to Rochdale in 1978, scoring his first goal a week later at home to Port Vale and it would prove to be the first of 100.

He is now regarded as a club legend and Quakers’ all-time record scorer, his ton coming in 279 appearances in six seasons.

Thompson is not far behind. He has scored 87 times in 270 appearances.

“I would love to do it this season,” he said. “I’m here for another two years and I would love to do it as quick as I can, but the team is more important.”