DARLINGTON dynamo Will Hatfield, the squad’s stand-out player this season, admits he is playing well and hopes to remain with the club beyond the end of the current campaign.

The midfielder arrived from Guiseley last summer and in his first season with The Quakers has embedded himself in the team as one of the first names on Alun Armstrong’s team sheet and become a fans’ favourite.

However, the 28-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season and it would be a blow to all concerned at the club were he to be playing elsewhere in 2020-21.

Quakers are in discussions over a new contract, and Hatfield hopes an agreement can be reached.

“I’ve got to admit I am playing consistently well, I’ll admit that, and I feel like I have got more to offer,” said Hatfield.

“I’m happy with how I’m playing, I love it here and if you’re enjoying your football it helps massively.

“I’d love to stay. My contract is up at the end of the season so we will see what happens. I just want to keep on playing well, and hopefully if I can play well the team will benefit.

“Hopefully we can get something sorted and I can be here for a longer period of time.”

Hatfield scored one of the club’s goals of the season on Saturday, a long-range effort in a 1-1 draw away to Kidderminster Harriers.

Though not a stellar showing from the team, it was an improvement on the previous two results when Darlington lost 3-0 to both Chester and Guiseley.

Hatfield said: “In those two games we didn’t have that little spark, we didn’t have that edge, that buzz that we usually have.

“We’re a team who play on the front foot full of energy, we get the ball down and zip it about and when we’re not like that we find it hard.

“We don’t seem to have a plan B, but when we’re on top of our game we are a solid, really good team.”

Regarding the draw at Kidderminster, Hatfield added: “The gaffer had a word with us afterwards, and he was saying we would probably have taken a point before the game.

“We had two disappointing performances and two bad results, so going to Kidderminster was always going to be tough. Unfortunately we couldn’t hold onto the three points but we more than deserved a point.”

Tuesday’s trip to Boston United was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch and has been rearranged for Tuesday, March 17 (7.45pm). Darlington are next in action at home to Leamington on Saturday.