DARLINGTON are targeting a hat-trick of wins when they head to Brackley this afternoon – and manager Steve Watson wants more of the same.

Quakers have won their last two matches, 2-0 at Farsley and 1-0 at home to Chester, to put them into 14th place in the table, just four points behind the play-off positions.

The win over Chester, courtesy of a second-half goal by Cedric Main, was reminiscent of last season’s outstanding performances in the escape from relegation, and Watson said: “We seemed like we’re getting there against a side that had a really good result the weekend before. We worked very hard and created plenty.

“We had a lot of possession as well, and when we didn’t have the ball, we closed them down really well throughout the game. Our subs came on and did exactly the same, it was a real squad effort.

“We had loads of entries into their box, but we didn’t quite catch the shots clean enough, and maybe sometimes we passed when we should have shot, and shot when we should have passed, but we still created plenty.”

Brackley have beaten Quakers at St James' Park in their last two meetings, and Watson said: “Brackley is always a tough game. They’re always strong, organised, physically fit.

"We’ve got to go there with the same mentality as we had on Tuesday, and have the same mentality with the ball – we had 60 per cent possession.

“This league is mad, you wouldn’t have expected some of the results on Tuesday, such as Farsley winning at King’s Lynn. We can only concentrate on ourselves, we’re getting players back now and we’re getting more players fit.

“I don’t think we’re far away, and we’ll always be striving for better. We’re four points off the play-offs, and hopefully we’ve got that consistency.

“The players have had a few knocks this season, but Terry (Mitchell) and I both believe in them as a group of players, but they’ve got to believe in themselves.”

Quakers kept their second successive clean sheet in midweek to give them eight in 15 league games for the season so far.

“I thought we defended our box well, we got first contact a lot, and we picked up second balls which were a big danger from Chester." added Watson.

Midfielder Matty Cornish will have a fitness test on an ankle injury ahead of today's game, while defender Ben Hedley and midfielder Tom Platt aren’t far away from a comeback. Andrew Nelson is still suffering from a knee injury.

Brackley, who are still involved in the FA Cup, are level with Quakers on points but have a slightly better goal difference. In midweek, they signed midfielder Kian Riley from Solihull Moors and former Telford forward Jez Abbey from Shifnal.