What a difference a win makes. Just ask Darlington manager Mick Tait ahead of this afternoon's Third Division trip to Rochdale.

On Bank Holiday Monday Quakers ended a disastrous start to the season - which had left them rooted to the bottom of the Division Three after three straight League defeats - with a hard-fought victory over Leyton Orient.

And on claiming their much-needed first win of the season, Tait last night revealed the mood in the Quakers camp is good ahead of today's clash at Spotland.

"The lads have been much better in training this week," said Tait.

"There's been plenty more smiles and that's what a win does.

"We'll go into Saturday's game and have a go."

Quakers fought back from a goal down to claim all three points on Monday thanks to late strikes from Matt Clarke and youngster Chris Hughes.

Until Clarke's 79th-minute equaliser Tait admitted he'd almost resigned himself to seeing his side succumb to a fourth successive League defeat.

"When the goals didn't go in and we missed a few chances it got to the point where we all thought 'here we go again'," said Tait.

"We should have been two or three up before half-time, there's no doubt about that.

"When you don't score the jitters set in again."

And the Quakers boss will be hoping his side can show the same kind of persistence which eventually paid off against Orient.

"Over the 90 minutes we deserved to win," said Tait.

"The heads went down for a bit but we stuck at it and we got the win in the end.

"We have to go to Rochdale and be positive again and try to get another result."

However, Tait has warned Dave Buckley's men will be going into this afternoon's clash at Spotland in a similar frame of mind having recording their first victory of the season at Torquay on Bank Holiday Monday.

"They've had a poor start but they fought back to get a draw with ten men on Saturday and then they went to Torquay and won 3-1," said Tait.

"That was a massive result for them so they'll be looking forward to this game just as much as we will."

Like Tait, Dale boss Buckley is expecting more of the same from his side.

He said: "It would be nice to follow up on the efforts on Monday with a good home performance, a good footballing performance and of course the win.

"I couldn't praise the players highly enough after their performance on Monday but what we need to do now is start winning our home games."

Even at such an early stage of the season, Quakers' poor start has already left them looking up at the rest of the Division.

And Tait believes if any ground is to be made on the current pacesetters, points must be acquired sooner rather than later.

"You lose three games and that means you're playing catch-up straight away," said Tait.

"You might lose three games in the middle of the season and it's only a mini crisis but it turns into a major one when you lose the first three games.

"We have some very good players at the club and if we put a good run together we can still do well."

Tait is expected to hand a recall to Joey Hutchinson after the defender came through a reserves match without any reaction to a hamstring injury, sustained on the opening day of the season at Hull.

Striker Danny Mellanby staked his claim for a starting place after scoring for the reserves in midweek but he may have to settle for a place on the bench with defender-come-striker Clarke likely to keep his place in attack alongside Barry Conlon.

Glen Robson, who made 11 appearances for Dale five years ago, returns to his former club for the first time but may also have to be a substitute.

Winger Neil Wainwright is Quakers' only absentee with a groin injury.

Defender Gareth Griffiths is Dale's only casualty with a back injury, while on-loan winger Chris Shuker and defender Michael Simpkins are both available despite their dismissals over the Bank Holiday weekend.