GOING into games with Spennymoor Town and Blyth Spartans, confidence is sky-high in the Darlington squad on the back of some improved form and impressive results.

Saturday saw Quakers put in their best performance of the season away to York City to earn a 1-0 win, a three-point haul after also defeating promotion-chasers Chester earlier this month.

Between those matches there was a 2-2 draw in the FA Trophy at Solihull Moors, who are fifth in the National League, part of a run of form that has seen Quakers quickly forget losing to Leamington and Telford United.

“Performance-wise I think we’ve been really good,” said striker Adam Campbell. “We should’ve won the Solihull game, I missed a couple of chances, before then was Chester when we won.

“Against York we beat one of the best teams in the league, so our confidence is massive at the moment and team spirit is the best it has been all season.

“We’re in it together and we’re all pushing in the same direction.”

Campbell’s own spirits were lifted by putting an end to his goal drought in sensational style against York, putting the ball into the top corner from long-range.

It was his eighth goal of the season, but his first in 12 matches, and he said: “As a striker it’s always on your mind if you’re not scoring, it’s horrible if you’ve not scoring and the team isn’t getting results.

“It builds up in your head, but I knew that if I kept going that it would turn for me.

“That was by far the best goal I’ve scored in my career. From when it left my foot I was just begging for it to drop and thankfully it did.”

Scoring the winner meant Campbell was able to joke about the missed opportunity for a second goal at York, a chance he failed to take after dispossessing goalkeeper Peter Jameson but a weak shot was cleared off the line by Joe Tait.

“I think I got goal of the season and miss of the season in the same game!” he said. “I knew Pete was trying to get back, so I was in two minds about dummying it in case Pete got back, but I should’ve made sure it went in.

“I’m happy it went in because I needed a goal. I hadn’t scored in a while, so it was nice to get one first and foremost, so get a nice goal makes it even better.

“But I am kicking myself because we should’ve been comfortable in that game and it should’ve been me that made us comfortable. I’ll not live that one down for a while.”

Campbell and his team-mates train this morning in preparation for the Boxing Day at home to Spennymoor, while on Saturday Quakers travel to Blyth before heading to Spennymoor on New Year’s Day.