David Hodgson has every confidence that his struggling Darlington side can raise their game for Saturday's daunting visit of promotion-chasing Hull City.

Crisis-hit Quakers remain three points adrift of relegation safety after Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Leyton Orient.

Hodgson's men have recorded just one win in their last 16 League games as they prepare to face second-placed, big-spending City.

The Tigers have already put seven past Quakers this season - an opening day 4-1 mauling at the KC Stadium and, in October, a 3-1 LDV Vans Trophy defeat at the Reynolds Arena

However, Hodgson remains in positive mood and believes his side are capable of causing an upset

"We've played well against the teams at the top so we won't worry about Hull," said Hodgson. "If that does not worry me it will not worry the players.

"If we play how we know we can then there's a good chance we can come out on top."

However, much will rest on the form of Hodgson's goal-shy strikers.

Quakers have scored just one goal in their last five games and on Saturday they were made to pay for a host of missed chances in the 1-0 defeat at Brisbane Road.

"In our last four or five games we've had around 70 per cent of the possession," said Hodgson. "I like to think we do things the right way and play the game how we think it should be played.

"When we do that and do it properly we do get on top of teams. We know we have the players at the club who can score goals but they're just not doing it at the moment.

"That's the difference between the teams at the bottom and the teams at the top."

Hodgson will this week decide on the futures of on-loan duo Lee Matthews and Craig James.

Bristol City forward Matthews has scored once in five appearances, while James has made the left-wing-back spot his own since joining the club from Sunderland in November.

The pair are to due to return to their clubs after the Hull game.

Read more about the Quakers here.