STRIKER Alun Armstrong last night revealed he still has every intention of playing at a higher level - with Darlington.

When former Middlesbrough man Armstrong returned to the North-East with Quakers in September he was honest enough to admit that the move to the Williamson Motors Stadium was only temporary, and that he would move on if, and when, an opportunity to play for a bigger club arrived.

Bitterly disappointed by Joe Royle's decision not to offer him a new contract at Championship side Ipswich Town during the summer, the 29-year-old revealed his determination to prove his old boss wrong when he signed a three-month contract with Quakers after trials with Rotherham United and Bristol City.

While Royle felt Armstrong wasn't fit enough to figure in his plans at Portman Road - after a string of injury setbacks - David Hodgson provided the Gateshead-born forward with an opportunity to prove otherwise.

Indeed, Armstrong duly obliged with eight goals - including his first career hat-trick against Southend - in 15 appearances for Quakers. Subsequently, Armstrong's goalscoring exploits failed to go un-noticed with Preston North End, Sheffield Wednesday, Hartlepool United and Colchester United all expressing an interest.

With so many 'higher level' clubs monitoring Armstrong's situation Quakers fans reluctantly accepted that they had seen the last of their leading scorer when his contract expired last week.

But remembering how Hodgson had shown his faith in him three months earlier, Armstrong decided he should return the favour by agreeing to stay until the end of the season.

Armstrong's goals have helped Quakers establish a firm position in the top half of League Two, and the Tynesider still has designs on playing at a higher level with his new club.

"I'd rather play for a team that has a chance of promotion than at one which hasn't," said Armstrong, who scored in both legs for Ipswich against Inter Milan in the UEFA Cup, three years ago.

"Last week was pretty stressful because at one point I was going and then I wasn't so I'm pleased everything has sorted itself out.

"I spoke to Sheff. Wed and it wasn't really worth it to be honest. I had talks with Colchester, which is only 15 minutes from my house and for family reasons it was a move I was seriously considering.

"But the gaffer has been brilliant with me up here and we could be playing in the same division as them next season so what's six months?

"I just want to repay everybody back by getting us promoted and hopefully signing for another season.

"With the quality of players we have here we will definitely get promoted."

Armstrong sees Saturday's 3-1 defeat at Boston United as only a minor setback in a game they dominated at York Street.

"It was a 3-1 massacre and I think we battered them to be fair," said Armstrong. "It's an unbelievable result really because we must have had about 80 per cent of the possession."

Armstrong felt the game may have had a different outcome had referee Fred Graham not awarded Boston a penalty, which Andy Kirk converted in the 19th minute.

Curtis Fleming was harshly penalised for a challenge on Boston striker Daryl Clare and Armstrong said: "I think once the referee gave them a penalty it changed the game.

"I think the fans realised how well we played and to come away with nothing is a travesty."

After going in at half-time 3-0 down, Craig Hignett gave Quakers some hope when he pulled a goal back early in the second half.

But against a Boston side, which defended in numbers after the interval, Armstrong admitted it was difficult to build on Hignett's sixth goal of the season.

"I put one wide and Higgy had another chance but I think you could see it just wasn't going to be our day.

"They sat in really deep and we just weren't able to get in behind them.

"When they come to our place next year I think it will be a different story.

"We've got to pick ourselves up for the Rochdale game and if we perform how we know we can we will win the game comfortably."

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