HAVING finally won an away match for the first time this season, Darlington aim to do it again when they go to Alfreton today.

Seven days ago Quakers overcame Trafford at Shawe View, a long-awaited success in the FA Cup that was one-way traffic for the most part and lifted spirits within the squad.

“It was really lively in training, the lads were buzzing after winning,” said manager Alun Armstrong.

“I didn’t realise the record was as bad as it was. I was chuffed to bits for the fans, you could hear how much it meant to them. Not winning for that amount of time in the FA Cup was ridiculous so the pressure was on.

“The first half was like when we played Bishop Auckland in pre-season. We had the ball for so long, but you start to worry it’s going to be one of them days when the other team are sitting back, trying to counter and playing long balls.

“You’re trying to get the tempo up, but Trafford were sat on their 18-yard line. But the lads did the job in the end. I knew they had another gear.”

Leamington’s replay win over Chasetown on Tuesday means Quakers head to Warwickshire next weekend, but first up is today’s trip to Derbyshire and a return to league action against fifth-placed Alfreton.

They have won four of their five home games, drawing the other, while Quakers not taken three points on the road since last season.

“It’s no secret that we’ve been better at home than away and that’s something I’ve got to fathom out,” admitted Armstrong.

“Do I change the system, the personnel. But it’s hard when you haven’t got the squad numbers.

“Alfreton are a big, strong physical side and everyone knows how Billy Heath plays his football.

“It’ll be a battle and we’ve done a lot of work in training to try and get the lads ready for what to expect on Saturday.

“We’ll have to be up for it and when we cut out the daft mistakes I think we’re a difficult team to deal with.”

As Jordan Watson is unavailable due to attending a family wedding and Armstrong wants to give Louis Laing time to recover from a hamstring issue, new signing Alex Storey travels and is line to make his debut.

“He’s a local lad, he’s got a good pedigree so why not give him a chance and well take it from there,” said the manager of his new recruit, who was released by Sunderland in the summer and then spent time on trial with Middlesbrough.

“If it doesn’t work out then we’ll move on, but you never know so we’ll see what happens and if he does well then great and we’ll look at something longer term.

“The kid’s got a good attitude so we’ll see what happens.”

Jonny Burn, also a defender, fits a similar criteria to Storey in that he was in the youth system at both Sunderland and Middlesbrough, but remains out of the reckoning.

His contract, signed when Tommy Wright was manager, lasts until the end of this season, but he no longer trains with Darlington’s first team, which was Armstrong’s decision, and recently turned down the chance to move permanently to Whickham.

Armstrong hopes Laing will return for next week’s game at Leamington. Losing his 100 per cent appearance record means Chris Elliott, Will Hatfield, Jarrett Rivers and Adam Campbell remain the only players to have started each match.

Armstrong added: “Laingy has played a lot of football in a short space of time. We haven’t people available so we could rest the lad, to rotate. He had played in every minute of the season until the injury.

“There’s a few who have played a lot, they’ve probably all played too much football in the first eight weeks of the season.”

David Atkinson has made only four starts since injuring his ankle a week before the season started.

“He needs an op on his ankle and it’s a massive blow,” admitted Armstrong.

“We were hoping it was just a little teak with his comeback, but he’s torn his ligaments this time. He got a whack at King’s Lynn, so he’s going to missing for three-months minimum once he’s had the operation.”