The bulk of Darlington's goals recently have come from midfielder Martin Smith. But Quakers' star player has backed the club's strikers to come good.

Smith has provided five of Darlington's 12 goals in the last seven games with Simon Johnson's effort at Lincoln City last month the only one coming from a striker.

Alun Armstrong has failed to net in ten, while Barry Conlon has had no luck when coming off the bench and Julian Joachim has only recently returned to action after injury. Gaetano Giallanza remains sidelined with a knee problem.

Joachim will start his third consecutive game tomorrow at home to Notts County, having replaced Johnson.

Following impressive strikes against Lewes and Mansfield, Smith struck with a volley in the 5-2 defeat at Stockport County last week but he sympathises with his non-scoring team-mates.

The former Sunderland striker, 32, said: "I know what it's like when you go a few games without scoring. I've played up front and I know what it's like when you're desperate for a goal, you can end up trying too hard.

"You just need one to go in and then you're off and running.

"The lads have been playing the game a long time so I don't think their confidence will have been affected but it's always nice to see the ball hit the back of the net.

"I'm sure once they get one they will be off and running.

"But in a team you have to look at what players are contributing and Alun created the goal for me at Stockport and Simon created it against Swansea so that's almost as good as scoring."

Phil Stamp was a surprise inclusion in the final 16 at Stockport and he may keep his place on the bench after successfully coming though Wednesday's reserve game 1-0 defeat to Hartlepool United.

The midfielder lasted 75 minutes for injury-hit Quakers, who featured a defence of four teenagers as well as a 15-year-old goalkeeper.

Anthony Peacock, Kalu Ngoma, Barry Conlon and Carlos Logan also started the game.