David Hodgson can join the 300 club today and bring Darlington's pitiful away record to an end in the process.

Not since March 22 last year have Quakers collected maximum points on their travels - a 1-0 win at Scunthorpe.

This afternoon second-bottom Quakers take on Leyton Orient in the capital, just one short of scoring 300 goals under the stewardship of Hodgson in his three spells in charge of the club.

At the start of the 1995/96 season, midfielder Paul Olsson had the distinction of scoring the first ever goal under Hodgson in an opening day 1-0 win at Exeter.

Over eight years and 221 games later, Hodgson welcomes 2004 with a trip to Brisbane Road and only a whisker away from the outstanding feat.

"It's a nice record to have and I'd be delighted if we could go down there and get the 300th goal," said Hodgson.

"More importantly for us is that hopefully we can come away with the three points."

Hodgson will need no reminding that Brisbane Road is not a happy hunting ground for Quakers. Their last victory came back in 1966.

However, the Quakers boss has stressed that he won't settle for anything less than a point from his players who, with the club in administration, were not paid over Christmas.

He said: "It is essential that we come away with at least a point but we've got to go there with the attitude of trying to get three.

"If we can pick a point up from every away game from now until the end of the season we'll have done exceptionally well."

Quakers will be bidding for their first double of the season today, having beaten the Os 2-1 at the Reynolds Arena in August.

Like Quakers, Orient have since changed managers. Paul Brush was dismissed in September after a poor start to the season.

And after steering the club away from the relegation zone in a caretaker capacity, Martin Ling was last week rewarded for his efforts with the job on a permanent basis.

"We've got to take victories from people like Leyton Orient," said Hodgson.

"They're a mid-table side going in neither direction so we have to take advantage of that."

Hodgson looks set to keep faith with the three-man attack which earned a point at Carlisle six days ago, with on-loan striker Lee Matthews expected to continue alongside Barry Conlon and Neil Wainwright.

The Quakers boss has no qualms about using such an attack-minded formation for a second successive week, given their current predicament.

"What we can't afford to do is go to grounds with a defensive attitude," said Hodgson.

Even with just one goal in their last four outings, Hodgson will have been encouraged by the amount of chances his side are creating. And he will be hoping Wainwright and Conlon can rekindle the kind of understanding which produced four goals in two games prior to the latter serving a three-match ban.

Hodgson has no fresh injury worries and Quakers are likely to remain unchanged from the side which drew at Carlisle.

Goalkeeper Michael Price looks set to continue in goal, as Andy Collett continues bench duty along with Ryan Valentine, Gary Pearson and Clark Keltie.

Orient will play Tom Newey, who made seven appearances on loan to Quakers from Leeds at the end of last season.