Darlington should take consolation from their improved second half showing said defender Alan White following Saturday’s defeat at Crewe.

Quakers lost 3-0 with all the goals coming in a torrid opening 45 minutes in which Steve Staunton’s side were easily second best.

But the sides were more evenly-matched after the break, and White said: “We let ourselves down in the first half, we were appalling. It was a little bit to do with tired legs and a little bit to do with a lack of games catching up on us because we put a lot in to Tuesday at Rotherham.

“But I think we showed in the second half what we’re about.

“You could say that Crewe took their foot off the pedal a little but I don’t think so, they would liked to have beaten us five or 6-0 given the opportunity.

“So I think we can take some credit, some positives out of the second half but learn from what we did in the first half.”

The 33-year-old was playing the second game of his loan from Luton having returned to his hometown club, six months after leaving amidst administration chaos.

Cut adrift at the bottom of the table, White is aware that the odds are against Quakers avoiding the drop, but he is relishing the challenge.

He said: “I thought I’d played my last game for Darlington.

We all know what happened last season and it was disappointing the way it finished and we had to leave.

“A few of us had a year left on our contracts and it was taken away, but I’m chuffed to bits to be back. You never know what’s around the corner in football, and it’s turned out I’ve come back here on loan which is great.

It’s a great challenge and I’m bang up for it.”

White has been transfer listed at Luton as part of a cost-cutting exercise, along with Kevin Nicholls and Kevin Gallen, and he added: “They said that we wouldn’t be in the team while we are on the transfer list.

“I was a little bit shocked, but anyone who knows me will tell you that I’m not going to sit around in the stand. I did that for one game and didn’t fancy doing it again so the opportunity of coming back to Darlo came and I snapped it up.

“There were a couple of League Two clubs and there was a sniff from a League One club, but given the choice you want to come back to Darlo.

“It was only ever going to be a loan, not permanent, but for these few months I’m going to get stuck in.”