Defiant Darlington manager Mick Tait has backed his side to come good as they prepare for Friday's trip to Northampton.

Neither side has yet earned a point this season and Tait reckons the Cobblers, relegated from the Second Division last term and tipped to make a swift return, will be just as determined as Quakers.

"They've lost their first two games so they'll be wanting to win this one, especially after all the money they've spent," said Tait.

"It's going to be a tough game but if we play anywhere near to our potential we're not frightened to play anyone."

The Quakers boss will be hoping his side can repeat the kind of performance which saw them knock First Division Bradford City out of the Carling Cup eight days ago, rather than the debacles witnessed against Hull and Kidderminster.

"It's just getting that consistency into the team, which we find hard," said Tait. "We didn't have many poor performances last season, we just couldn't get a really good run of results.

"So far this season the performances have been inconsistent.

"We had a good opening 45 minutes against Hull then an awful second half. "We had a brilliant performance at Bradford then an awful one against Kidderminster."

While Tait is relishing pitting his wits against Premiership new boys Wolves in the second round of the Carling Cup next month, the League remains his priority.

"The cup is a nice distraction," he said. "Everybody likes a good cup run but it's all about the League for us.

"I'd rather it was at home but it's a big game and our supporters will enjoy going there."

* Mark Convery rescued a point for Darlington Reserves at Newcastle yesterday. The 22-year-old levelled in injury time after Clarence Acuna had given the home side a 22nd minute lead.

Quakers, who included French trialists Roland Vieira and Frederic Ribeiro as well as former Magpie Paul Dunn in their line-up, survived a second half penalty miss from Lomana LuaLua, before Acuna was shown a straight red card after lashing out at Neil Wainwright.

With time running out it was Newcastle-born Convery who equalised with virtually the last kick of the game.

Newcastle: Harper, Griffin, Elliott, Norton, Shanks, Bramble, LuaLua (Zola 64), Acuna, Cort, McClen, Quinn

Darlington: Price, Ribeiro, Dunn (Parkin 88), Hughes, Mason, Artun, Wainwright (Mendum 74), Coughlan, Sheeran, Vieira (Mellanby 64), Convery