Next up for in-form Darlington is Saturday's game at home to fellow promotion-chasers Bristol Rovers and David Hodgson cannot wait for the weekend to arrive.

He says confidence among the players, who have moved from 15th to seventh after losing only once in 11 games, is so high that Quakers want the games to come thick and fast.

Saturday's 0-0 draw at Boston United, where Quakers had lost their previous three games, reaffirmed the belief in the squad and Hodgson said: "Let's play Bristol Rovers now!

"They way the players feel and the fans is let's get the game on now.

"We all want games to come as quickly as possible which is how players always feel when things are going well.

"When you are doing well, winning games and winning points, you want games straight away - let's play the game tomorrow."

Striker Guy Bates made his debut on Saturday, coming on as a substitute for Kyle Lafferty in the last 20 minutes after he received his international clearance in time.

He became Darlington's third No. 9 of the season following Clyde Wijnhard and Tresor Kandol, but Bates did not have much opportunity to impress at Boston.

Hodgson said: "Guy did not get off to the best of starts with one or two of his lay-offs not working out.

"But he tried to link things up, he dropped deep to receive the ball and he will get better.

"He's only a young lad and from what we have seen in training we know that, get him on a good surface, he will be a good player for us."

Kandol scored the winner on his Barnet debut on Saturday in a 1-0 win over Shrewsbury Town.

The forward joined the Bees for £50,000 from Dagenham and Redbridge ten days ago after Quakers opted out of signing him following a loan spell.