DARLINGTON have failed to register a point in their opening three games of the season and captain Will Hatfield has vowed to put that right. 

The Quakers have lost all three games to Alfreton, Curzon Ashton and, most recently, to Bradford Park Avenue, losing by two golas to one at Blackwell Meadows. 

Alun Armstrong fumed at his players performance at the weekend and made it clear that the players wouldn't last very long in his squad if they maintained their current standards.

While captain Hatfield, who has been with Darlington since 2019, was one of the standout performers at the weekend, he accepts that the early season performances have not been anywhere near good enough and has vowed to put that right.

The 29-year-old told the Northern Echo: “There is massive areas to improve on and work on.

“Were not concerned that it’s three games into a long season but we’ve got a great group of lads, management and everything.

“We will get it right but it’s just a matter of tidying things up at the back, not conceding goals, not giving teams a head start. We know what kind of attacking force we’ve got. We can play good stuff and we will get it right.

“It’s not an ideal start, we’re all obviously frustrated and upset about it but we’ve got to be positive.

“We can’t just go into our shell and not turn up next week, we’ve got to come out next week positive again and give everything and we will do. We’ll keep on fighting.

“We still want to be challenging at the very top as a club like Darlington should be. Obviously we haven’t got off to a very good start so the first thing we should do is get back to winning ways.

“Once we get back to winnings ways then let’s get on a bit of a roll and then you never know where it can take us. Again, three games into a long season so let’s just be patient and get it right.”

Up next for the Quakers is a trip to Blyth Spartans, a side formerly managed by Amrstrong, this weekend who have lost just one of their opening five league games of the season.