We look to build on our three points from last Saturday when we host Southport on Saturday.

Stephen Thompson’s penalty was enough to earn a 1-0 victory at Blyth, a result which moved us to 16^th place nine points ahead of the bottom three.

The strike was his 90^th for the club as he closes in on our all-time goal scoring record.

 Southport picked up a very impressive 5-3 victory over league leaders Chorley which leaves them 13^th in the table three points ahead of ourselves. They started this season very poorly only winning one of their first 14 games. However, since they have been one of the form teams in the table to move them away from the relegation zone.

 Our meeting earlier on this season ended in a 0-0 draw with goalkeeper Jonny Maddison saving a penalty. Southport’s previous visit to Blackwell Meadows, saw them come away with a 4-2 victory in what was our final home match of last season. In all competitions, we have not won any of our six previous games against Southport with our last success over them a 2-0 victory in September 2010.

The game is the first of three home fixtures in a row at Blackwell Meadows with Brackley and Chorley the next two teams to visit.

Stats pack

Darlington

League position:   16th

Home form:    Played 14, won 5, drawn 3, lost 6, goals for 20 against 16, points 18 out 35

Team News:  Darlington manager Tommy wright expects to choose from a full squad.

Leading scorer:   Jordan Nicholson 9, Harvey Saunders 7, Andrew Nelson 6

Position in form table of last six matches:  11^th won 2, drawn 2, lost 2, goals for 12, against 10

Last six matches

February 9th Blyth (away) won 1-0 Thompson pen

Team: Maddison, Trotman, Muggleton (sub O’Hanlon 90+2), Smith, Hughes, Galbraith, Elliott, Palmer, Ainge, Thompson (sub Wheatley 75), Nicholson (sub Saunders 75), 

Subs:  Henshall, Kneeshaw

January 26^th Curzon Ashton 1 Darlington 1 (Elliott)

January 19^th Spennymoor (home) lost 1-2 Thompson pen

January 12^th Alfreton (away) drew 0-0

January 5^th Kidderminster (home) won 3-0 Thompson, Nicholson, Smith

January 1^st York City (away) lost 0-4

Southport

League position :  13th

Away form played 13, won 5, drawn 3, lost 5, goals against 19 against 18, points 18 out of 38

Position in form table of last six league matches:    8^th, won 3, drawn 1, lost 2, goals for 12, goals against 10

Last six matches:

 09/02/2019 Chorley (H) Won 5-3 Sampson 2, Charles 2, Green

Southport: Hanford, Platt, Edwards, Astles, Ogle, Morgan, Wood, Charles (Archer 90), Gilchrist (Homson-Smith 81), Green (Richards 90), Sampson.
Subs not used: Tibbetts, Lacey.

26/01/2019 AFC Telford United (H) Lost 4-0

19/01/2019 Altrincham (A) Lost 1-0

12/01/2019 Leamington (H) Won 5-1 Bauress 2, Charles 2, Morgan

08/01/2019 Guiseley (H) Won 1-0 Sampson

05/01/2019 Nuneaton (H) Drew 1-1 McFarlane-Archer

Last time we met:

September 15^th 2018

Southport 0 Darlington 0

Darlington; Maddison, Trotman, Jonny Burn, Hughes, O’Hanlon, Elliott, Glover, Henshall (sub Saunders 65), Nicholson, Thompson, Styche

Subs not used: Stansfield, Aaron Burn, Galbraith, Morrison

Southport (4-4-2) Hanford, Richards, Ogle, Winnard, Astles, Morgan, Green (sub Osborne 88), Lynch, Charles, Sampson, Bauress (sub Gilchrist 74)

Subs:  Mueller, Hollins, Phenix