Darlington manager Martin Gray is still very positive despite Quakers 4-1 defeat at AFC Fylde on Saturday.

The reversal was Quakers’ first defeat in seven league games and the first away from home since before Christmas at Kidderminster, but they are still sixth in the table, just two points behind fifth placed Chorley.

MG said; “We are very close to the play offs with five games remaining, and I’m sure at the start of the season we would have been happy with that.

“But we are still very capable of finishing in the top five, we have proved that since the turn of the year.

“I thought on Saturday that we were still in the game at 1-0 and had a chance of getting something out of it. We started the second half well, put them under pressure and created chances, which was pleasing.

“The unfortunate thing was, that when we got back into the game for 2-1, they scored almost straight away to go 3-1 up.

“Even after Kevin Burgess’ red card and the penalty, we still kept pushing forward trying to get something out of the game. It certainly wasn’t a 4-1 game. The players never know when they’re beaten, and they will have the same attitude from now until the end of the season, whenever that may be. Our aim now is to go unbeaten over the rest of the season, and if we do that, then we have a great chance of finishing in the play offs.”