DARLINGTON have covered more miles than Phileas Fogg this month and, like the fictitious journeyman, David Hodgson's men seem hell-bent on defying the odds after last night's win at Cheltenham Town.

Hodgson's globe-trotters can put their travel socks away for the time being after Quakers moved up to seventh - their highest position of the season - after their first ever win at Whaddon Road.

Quakers could have put a defeat down to fatigue last night, playing their fifth game in 13 days and their second trip to the South-West in 72 hours after their FA Cup defeat at Yeovil Town on Tuesday night.

But Hodgson's men showed few signs of buckling as Jerry Gill's own goal and Alun Armstrong's seventh of the season sealed Quakers' fourth away win of the campaign.

From one extreme to another, Quakers will not play for another ten days when Mansfield visit the Williamson Motors Stadium.

But in that time Hodgson will have plotted his next move and how Quakers can sustain their place in the play-offs.

Indeed, Hodgson admits much will depend on the input of strike-partners Clyde Wijnhard and Armstrong.

"When Clyde and Alun are on-song it is a completely different picture for us," said Hodgson.

"Alun has done very well even in the games where we haven't performed and Clyde was back to his best. They both have the ability to bring other players into the game and that's what they did tonight."

And after ending a run of four games without a win Hodgson added: "We have three points in the bag which is very important.

"Considering the mileage we have covered lately I thought the lads did very well tonight.

"I didn't want them to use all the travelling as an excuse and I gave them no choice but to go out and perform for 90 minutes.

"The lads worked their socks off and I thought their fitness levels were very good. I think we got our just rewards."

A breakdown in communication almost cost Quakers dearly after two minutes. Team-mates Neil Maddison and Adrian Webster collided going for the same ball, letting in Robins skipper John Finnigan on the edge of the area, who fired wastefully over.

At the other end Neil Wainwright should have done better when, with two-on-two, he ignored the better positioned Webster on the left, before poking over Shane Higgs' goal.

In a lively start both sides seemed to enjoy playing to feet on a zippy surface. And after a neat exchanges of passes with Martin Devaney, midfielder Grant McCann dragged his effort wide in the 13th minute.

Quakers keeper Sam Russell then had to be alert to flick Steve Guinan's low drive away one-handed as the home side began to take a hold of the game.

But while Cheltenham may have had their lions share of early possession, they rarely looked like breaking down an assured Quakers rearguard.

In the 25th minute Webster showed good strength to hold of a midfield challenge, before advancing and shooting straight into the arms of Higgs.

Clyde Wijnhard and Alun Armstrong then showed good understanding when the latter drove inches wide from the former's knock-down.

Wijnhard returned the favour moments later when he played in Armstrong, who saw his snap shot blocked by Higgs.

And with half-time approaching Wijnhard's involvement in Quakers' next attacking move proved decisive. The former Leeds United striker slotted the ball down the right for Wainwright, whose drive across the face of the goal was converted inadvertently into his own net by former Birmingham City defender, Gill.

Wijnhard almost doubled his sides advantage when he fired into the side-netting as Quakers finished the half on high.

Having surrendered leads to Swansea and Yeovil early in the second half recently, the ability to hold on to their one-goal advantage was always going to provide an element of intrigue to the second 45 minutes.

Refreshingly for Hodgson, Quakers made the best possible start with Higgs saving superbly from Wainwright, before Armstrong fired over.

And it was former Middlesbrough striker Armstrong who effectively put the game beyond the Robins when he struck in the 57th minute, nodding home Ian Clark's inswinging corner.

Shane Duff and substitute Damian Spencer both wasted opportunities to reduce the deficit as Quakers coasted to a deserved three points.

Result: Cheltenham Town 0 Darlington 2.

Read more about the Quakers here.