With just two games remaining, Darlington are close to achieving a play-off place and, after a season of inconsistency, Curtis Fleming admits points are more important than performances.

A 2-0 win over Rushden on Saturday kept Darlington firmly in the hunt for promotion but much of the game, especially the first half, was a tepid affair and typical of the season.

Quakers have struggled to find the rhythm and form that could have given them automatic promotion, while there's been an uncharacteristic lack of entertainment from David Hodgson's team.

Hodgson has tinkered with the team and formation as he's strived to produce a winning formula, but in 44 games only in fleeting glimpses has the team clicked.

In previous years his sides have been pleasing on the eye but not this year.

However, Fleming acknowledges that entertaining football comes secondary at this stage of the season.

He said: "The days are counting down now, if you have to win horrible then you do it, whatever it takes.

"If you finish in the play-offs then you deserve to be there and people won't remember how you've won games if you're in Cardiff at the end of May.

"We've let ourselves down a couple of times but we can't do anything about that now.

"It's all about the game on May 28 at the Millennium Stadium. I've never had the chance to play there and the chance of playing there spurs you on.

"It doesn't matter how old you are or how many top Premiership grounds you've played at, you still want to achieve things. I want to win promotion with Darlington.

"There's nothing worse than playing the last five games of the season with nothing to play for, it's the worst thing in the world.

"If you can't get yourself motivated now and if you don't have that determination then you might as well pack in."

Saturday's opponents Lincoln City won 3-0 at the Williamson Motors Stadium in November, one of six home defeats this season - at least two more than any other team in the top eight.

"I'd like to say that was a one-off but there's a been a few games when we've let ourselves down, especially at home," admitted Fleming.

"You try not to look back and think what might have been but you know that if we hadn't conceded that goal at Mansfield in the last minute then the gap between us and Northampton would've been four points.

"But it's not and it looks like it's going to go to the wire.

"It's keeping everyone interested, there's never been a dull moment this season and it's carried on right until the end and it'll probably carry on until Cheltenham at home on May 7.

Read more about the Quakers here.