We host league leaders Chorley on Saturday still sitting in 16^th place in the league table having not had a game last weekend.

Following their defeat last weekend Chorley bounced back on Tuesday beating bottom of the table Nuneaton 2-0 to open up a three point lead at the top once again. They lead Stockport by three points having played one game more, while Spennymoor in third, have two games in hand on Chorley which could potentially lift them to the summit.

Our meeting in December saw us take an early lead but ultimately lose 3-2 despite loan striker Andy Nelson scoring twice for us.

Last season the game between the two sides at a snowy Blackwell Meadows ended in a 2-2 draw, with Reece Styche scoring a goal to remember.

Despite being top of the table for most of the current season, Chorley have dropped points on numerous occasions since the turn of the year, with their title rivals currently in better form. However, promotion is still very much in their own hands as they still have to play all of those chasing them in their final 10 games.

Quakers include a new keeper in the squad, Jake Turner has come on loan for the rest of the season from Bolton Wanderers.

Stats pack

Darlington

League position:   16th

Home form:    Played 16, won 5, drawn 4, lost 7, goals for 20, against 18, points 19 (out of total 36)

Team News:  Quakers expect to be at full strength, there are no serious injury problems.

New keeper Jake Turner is included in the squad.

Ben O'Hanlon has joined Hednesford

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

Position in form table of last six matches:  won 1, drawn 3, lost 2, goals for 3, goals against 5, points 6

Last six matches

February 20^th Brackley (home) lost 0-2

Maddison, Trotman, O’Hanlon, Wheatley (sub Palmer 86), Hughes, Smith, Henshall (sub Kneeshaw 62), Elliott, Ainge (sub Saunders 62), Thompson, Nicholson

Subs not used: Glover, Kokolo

February 16^th Southport (home) drew 0-0

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

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

Chorley

League position :  1st

Away form:  played 16, won 8, drawn 4, lost 4 goals for 32 against 19 points 28 (out of 63)

Position in form table of last six league matches:    9^th won 3, lost 3, goals for 12, goals against 9 points

Last six matches 

26/02/2019 Nuneaton (H) won 2-0 Carver, Blakeman

23/02/2019 Ashton United (H) Lost 1-0

16/02/2019 Alfreton (A) Lost 2-1 Carver

12/02/2019 Brackley Town (H) Won 2-0 Carver, Blakeman

09/02/2019 Southport (A) Lost 5-3 A Newby 3

26/01/2019 York City (A) Won 4-1 Leather, Meppen-Walter, Wilson, A Newby

 Last time we met: December 15^th

Chorley 3 (Carver, Teague, Newby) Darlington 2 (Nelson 2)

Darlington: Maddison, Trotman, Kokolo (sub O’Hanlon 58) , Wheatley, Burn, Galbraith, Wollerton, Nicholson, Saunders (sub Glover 76) Nelson, Thompson.  Subs: Hall, Lingthep, Morrison

Chorley: Urwin (Eccles, 46′), Challoner, Blakeman, Teague (c), Anson (Hooper, 38′), Jordan, A.Newby (Cottrell, 78′), O’Keefe, Carver, Almond, E.Newby. Subs not used: Whitham, Wilson.

Last season: Chorley 4 Darlington 1, Darlington 2 Chorley 2