Darlington's players overcame a punishing schedule of travelling this week to carve out a valuable away victory against improving Cheltenham Town.
The Quakers got home from their FA Cup replay at Yeovil Town at 6am on Wednesday morning and had only one day's training before another long trip down south.
Cheltenham had won five of their previous six League Two games but Darlington moved level on points with them by scoring once in each half.
The home side enjoyed the majority of possession in the first period and initiated a number of well-constructed moves, although Darlington were always dangerous on the break.
Neil Wainwright sent a shot over the bar for them early on and former Leeds United striker Clyde Wijnhard saw an effort saved at point-blank range by goalkeeper Shane Higgs.
At the other end, Cheltenham's Steve Guinan saw a shot clawed away by Quakers goalkeeper Sam Russell, who was yellow-carded shortly afterwards for handling outside his area.
Guinan then saw a low shot brush the outside of Russell's right-hand post, but the deadlock was finally broken four minutes before half-time and slightly against the run of play.
Wainwright, of the most creative players on view in the game, broke down the right and fired a hard-hit centre across the face of goal. Town full-back Jerry Gill attempted to boot the ball clear but must have completely lost his bearings because he only succeeded in thumping it into his own net.
After the break Darlington defended resolutely and the expected fightback from the Robins never really materialised.
In fact, it was the visitors who had the better chances with the dangerous Wainwright going close through a long-range drive.
The result was put virtually beyond doubt in the 57th minute when former Middlesbrough striker Alun Armstrong rose at the far post to head in an Ian Clark corner and seal his side's fourth away win of the campaign.