But he says the standard has now been set and he wants another impressive display tonight against North East rivals Darlington.
Spartans shocked football at the weekend, a stunning 8-1 with over Chester that nobody saw coming.
In the build up Armstrong said his players own their fans a big performance - and now he says they have a duty to follow that up
“I expected a reaction after last Tuesday, especially after the rollicking we gave them at half-time against Bradford,” he told the club’s YouTube channel.
“But then you’re looking at one of the title favourites in the next game and the game after that, you’re looking at promotion favourites and it was never going to get any easier.
“But the lads did exactly what I asked of them in that first 20 minutes and put them on the back foot. Some of it was ugly and that’s what we’ve got to start doing.
“We’ve got to earn the right to play football, we’ve said that time and time again. I think what they’ve done today should set the tone.
“I’m not being disrespectful, but it could have been a lot, lot more, I think everyone could see that.
“I don’t think you’ll believe it, but I was absolutely fuming that we conceded. We should never had conceded a goal, we got sloppy.
“But I’ve got to give the lads full credit, they reacted to what was said on Tuesday night and they’ve took everything on board and I’m over the moon with them.
“We’ve just got to make sure that it continues.”