Darlington manager Alun Armstrong believes his players are steadily improving as they prepare for their away game at Buxton on Saturday.

Quakers have picked up five points from their last three matches against Brackley, Alfreton and South Shields, and they’re hoping that their progress continues on the 3G at Silverlands. It could have been seven, if they hadn’t conceded a stoppage-time penalty against Shields.

“I’ve not been disappointed with the performances of late, the lads fully deserved four points over the weekend,” said Armstrong.

“It’s just a shame we couldn’t hang on to the two extra points against South Shields, after what we’d been through and the effort that we put in.

“We have to keep learning from these mistakes, these penalties we’re conceding in the last minute aren’t doing us any favours. During the game, I thought we defended quite well.

“The 4-3-3 formation we’ve used of late seems to be working, we seem to have more control with three strikers playing narrow and not isolating the central striker. We had to put our defensive hats on for a while on Monday, and once we dropped off, they couldn’t play through us. A little slip cost us, and that was probably down to fatigue.

“I’m really pleased with the way the lads are at this moment in time, they’re only going to get better and better.”

Former Boro youngster Mitch Curry made his full debut against South Shields after patiently waiting for six matches, and he scored the equaliser from the penalty spot after Tom Platt was fouled.

“As soon as I knew that Mitch was taking the penalty, I fancied him to score all day. There were parts of his game which were good, and there are others that we need to work on. He’s got to get used to the way that the lads are with him.”

Armstrong is also a big fan of Finlay Barnes, who was signed on loan from York before the Alfreton game last Saturday, and scored a goal with each of his first two touches, and nearly scored another against South Shields on Monday.

“It’s nice to have someone stay on the ball like Finlay and getting in those pockets and running at people. He’s a lovely technical footballer, we need someone like that. He was probably disappointed with himself when he didn’t score on Monday, but the keeper pulled off a good save.”

Barnes is on loan for a calendar month, but York can recall him before he plays his last scheduled game on September 20 against Gloucester. York won’t allow him to play for Quakers in the FA Cup, which is drawn on Monday.

Quakers lost last season in a midweek game on the 3G at Silverlands, when Jassem Sukar, who is suspended today, scored.

“Every manager will say that 3G is different to playing on grass, but it’s the same for both sides,” added Armstrong. “Buxton have a good squad and they’ll be looking to get into the play offs, but we go there full of confidence after our last three performances. Hopefully we’ll get a decent result.

“We have a bit of strength in depth in midfield now, and in those little areas that we were probably short of. We’ve got a good mixture.

“The lads are gutted that they didn’t get the three points on Monday, but if you flip it over the weekend, with a point at Alfreton and three against Shields, then we would have taken that. It’s a sign of things to come that they’re improving, and the longer this goes on, they’ll get better.”