DARLINGTON'S embattled players must get greedy if they want to revive their faltering start to the season, according to manager David Hodgson.

Quakers have endured a miserable week, having lost at Bury on Saturday and suffered elimination from the LDV Vans Trophy at Conference side Kidderminster on Tuesday.

The pressure is beginning to mount on Hodgson's men, who have won just once in their last eight league attempts.

Their last goal in open play came from midfielder Adrian Webster in the 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Oxford in September, over nine hours of football ago.

Quakers meet Cheltenham Town at the Darlington Football Stadium this weekend in a game Hodgson hopes his players will be hungry to win.

"We will see who has character and who hasn't," said Hodgson. "Forget Darlington, let's just see who goes out there on Saturday and gives everything for themselves.

"When I was a player I produced for myself, first and foremost. I didn't give a damn about anybody else and perhaps we need a few more selfish players out there.

"If you do that you come off the field knowing you've given it your best shot and you're satisfied with your performance.

"There are players who can't be satisfied with themselves after the Bury and Kidderminster games."

Only last month Quakers were playing host to Notts County in a top-of-the-table clash. But, as a result of their recent run, Hodgson's men are now 12th in League Two.

"In no time at all we have players who cannot deal with the pressure which is now upon them," said Hodgson.

"We have to play with pride on Saturday and realise how important the club is to us."

The Quakers' boss will be hoping to get a better response than he did at the Aggborough Stadium on Tuesday. He said: "I wanted to win the game at Kidderminster. I didn't care whether it was the LDV Vans Trophy or not, I wanted to win, lock, stock and barrel.

"We all looked as if we wanted it, then slowly but surely the opposition gained the upper hand and Kidderminster deserved to win."

* Darlington's home game against Wycombe on November 12 will kick off at 2.30pm as the England v Argentina friendly kicks off at 4.45pm.

Read more about the Quakers here.