David Hodgson has been in the game long enough to know that one match doesn't necessarily turn a season around.

But in witnessing the manner in which his side ended a run of 12 games without a win at the weekend, Hodgson must surely have a slight inkling that there are better times ahead.

Nobody can go as far as to say that Saturday's 3-0 victory over York City had been coming.

But under Hodgson, Quakers have a certain oomph about them these days.

Just ask any of their last three opponents.

Quakers were unfortunate not to come away from Swansea with a point over a fortnight ago, while the point earned a week later against Scunthorpe should have been three up until Ryan Valentine and Barry Conlon's dismissals.

And before Saturday, York arrived with a seven-match unbeaten run under the belts.

At tea-time, though, the Minstermen must have been wondering what had hit them, given the amount of possession they had enjoyed.

This is not a good time to play Quakers who, for the second week running, were inspired by the brilliance of Neil Wainwright - the winger-cum-striker who is clearly revelling in his new role.

And as you'd expect Conlon was well up for it against his former club too.

The pair were both on target seven days earlier against Scunthorpe and it took Conlon just 11 minutes to get off the mark on Saturday, heading home at the back post from a Valentine corner.

But it was Quakers' second, courtesy of Wainwright, which lit up the 4,115 Reynolds Arena crowd, with a goal reminiscent of Ricky Villa's solo effort for Tottenham in the 1981 FA Cup final.

The former Sunderland man was released down the left following a great piece of skill on the halfway line by Conlon. And after taking the ball past one defender down the left, Wainwright rounded goalkeeper Mark Ovendale and two more players before drilling low into the back of the net.

"I've been a little bit cautious with Wainy," admitted Hodgson.

"He played well against Lincoln and Swansea and I thought he was fantastic against Scunthorpe.

"It's natural that people say that we need a striker. What I'm thinking is maybe we do, maybe we don't.

"But at the moment Wainy and Baz have managed to get this understanding between each other and I'm not going to tamper with it."

And the Quakers boss could have few complaints with the rest of his side, who are now up to 21st in the Division Three table.

"I'm delighted with the three points," beamed Hodgson.

"The lads have put so much effort in over the last three or four weeks.

"At half-time the lads said we've got to get hold of this game and that's what they did.

"I never thought that we'd be under the cosh that much because they don't score that many goals.

"It wasn't as good as Scunthorpe in terms of fluency and football but it was in terms of the result and that's what's more important."

In truth, York rarely looked like posing the kind of problems Scunthorpe provided a week earlier.

And once Wainwright claimed Quakers' second, Hodgson's first victory since returning to the club never looked under threat, although York defender Dave Merris came close to reducing the deficit when he fired wide just before half time.

Conlon's spectacular attempt to beat Ovendale from the halfway line had the Minstermen stopper panicking for a moment, while at the other end Price failed to collect Edmonson's cross but Craig Liddle read the situation well and cleared the danger.

But any hopes the visitors had of getting back into the game were dashed 12 minutes from time when Craig James, on loan from Sunderland, completed the scoring with his first goal for the club, rising to head home Valentine's cross.

Wainwright came close to making it four when he was denied by the reflexes of Ovendale, who tipped the angled drive just wide of the upright.

Conlon could easily have claimed his second of the afternoon when he headed straight at Ovendale from James' good cross.

Youngster John Alexander was introduced late on with hero of the day Wainwright making way to a standing ovation.

The victory lifts Quakers out of the bottom two ahead of this Saturday's trip to Cambridge.

"These kids have worked their socks off on the training ground and it's beginning to show on the pitch," said Hodgson.

"They've all done everything I've asked of them and as a manager that is very pleasing."

Result: Darlington 3 York City 0.

Read more about the Quakers here.