DARLINGTON manager Alun Armstrong wants a big improvement when Quakers take on Buxton at Blackwell Meadows tomorrow.

Tomorrow's game is the first of two home matches in the space of four days for Quakers, as Kidderminster, who are also chasing the play-off spots, come along on Saturday.

Armstrong's side have slipped up in their last two away games, going down at Boston and Leamington, which means that they have dropped to fourth place in the table, four points behind the top three.

And now the Darlington boss wants the sloppy defensive mistakes which have blighted the last two matches to stop.

“The lads have got to step up or crumble against Buxton,” he said.

“After watching the last five minutes against Leamington, I’m a little bit worried. Because if you can’t get the basics right, then you’ve got no chance.

"The lads must improve. We need to get out of this problem that we’ve created for ourselves of conceding sloppy goals.

“This will be a tough game like they all are in this league. Buxton have changed their manager since we played them, and spent a bit of money on players.”

Spending money on new players is something that Armstrong is pondering at the moment, but it’s got to be within the club’s budget.

“I’m trying to strengthen the squad, but people want silly money,” he pointed out.

“We haven’t got the kind of money to pay people big wages, it’s an assessment of risk versus reward.

"People think that we’ve got money to burn, but that’s not the case. We’ve got to find a couple of extra bodies, but finding them is a problem.”

Central defender Jassem Sukar, who missed Saturday’s game because of illness, will probably be missing again tomorrow, while centre-half David Wheater is likely to be rested, so Jake Lawlor will probably return to the starting line-up.

Spennymoor Town are also in National League North action tomorrow as they head to Southport.

Jason Ainsley's side drew 2-2 with Scarborough Athletic at the Brewery Field at the weekend, a result that left them 12th in the table. They are one place ahead of tomorrow's opponents, who lost to Buxton at the weekend.

In the Northern Premier, Marske United will try to get their survival push back on track when they travel to Nantwich tomorrow.

Marske suffered a 2-0 defeat at Atherton at the weekend, a result that left them in the relegation zone.