DARLINGTON boss David Hodgson has set his embattled side a target of three wins from their remaining six fixtures to avoid relegation.

Macclesfield's 2-0 win at York on Sunday means Quakers are just one point clear of the drop zone after their 1-0 defeat at Boston.

Hodgson believes Third Division safety will be assured if fifth-bottom Quakers can claim maximum points from half of their games.

"I can't say I'd be happy if we finished third bottom but at least we'd have something to work on during the summer," he said.

"We have six games left and if we can win three of them I think we will be safe."

Play-off hopefuls Mansfield pay their first visit to the Reynolds Arena on Saturday, before Hodgson takes his side to rejuvenated Southend - who have eased their own relegation fears with one League defeat in 12 - on EasterMonday.

Games against sixth-placed Oxford, Lincoln (fifth) and Swansea (tenth) follow, before Quakers head to fellow strugglers Scunthorpe on the final day of the season, where Hodgson has already admitted their fate is likely to be decided.

The manager was incensed by his side's second half display at Boston, after dominating the first 45 minutes at York Street.

Hodgson is quick to pin-point where the problems lie.

He said: "The question that has been going around in my head is 'can we really maintain our standards over 90 minutes?'

"I've noticed signs over the last couple of weeks of not being able to maintain that level of performance for the full duration.

"We should have taken more control of the game in the second half but we didn't because some players couldn't rise as well as they did in the first 45 minutes.

"We can say that they only had one shot at us but that's not enough. That's all it took for them.

"There were three or four players who did perform for the full 90 minutes but that's not good enough. To win games we need that from all 11."

* West Brom defender Lee Marshall could be out for up to a year after suffering a broken leg while on loan with Division Three promotion-chasers Hull City.

The 25-year-old full-back, who had joined the Tigers until the end of April, suffered a compound fracture of the right leg during Hull's 1-1 draw with Kidderminster.

Read more about the Quakers here.