Story by Kevin Luff - 24th March 2006

Darlington take on Barnet this weekend and they will need a rare result at Underhill if they are to have any hope of getting back into contention for the play-offs. Barnet, promoted back to the football league following a five year absence last season, started the season well but now find themselves just a point off the drop.

Results of late have picked up, apart from defeats against Carlisle and Grimsby Town, but wins are still in scarce supply around Underhill. Despite their lowly position captain Ian Hendon insists the club will still be playing in League Two next season.

"This is not a team that is going to get relegated, I can assure people of that," said Hendon. "I hope that this doesn't come back to bite me but the way the lads are, we are not going to go down. There is a lot of stuff being said about the lads, the team and the Manager but for those people who came out to see the team train today was a big lift."

Quakers' defence will have to be wary of former player Tresor Kandol. The forward spent a short spell at Darlington on loan earlier in the season but the deal was not made a permanent one. Instead Kandol returned down south and eventually signed for Barnet. Having been out injured he is set to resume striking duties. Kandol appears eager to line up in front of Quakers.

"I don't think I have anything to prove against them, but I am excited to be playing against some of my old mates that I made there," he said. "I only have positive things to say about my time there. It just wasn't right for me at that time in my life and I felt for Darlington's sake and my own it was only right to move on."

Darlington will not have to worry themselves about the Bees top league goalscorer Giuliano Grazioli however. It was confirmed earlier this week that the thirty-one year old is ruled out for up to six weeks with a fracture of the second metatarsal in his right hand following a training ground injury last Thursday.

Barnet have been boosted by the signature of veteran player Paul Warhurst until the end of the season. The thirty-six year old has figured in many different areas of the park during his career but is expected to start from the bench for tomorrow's game. Warhurst, who has been training with the Barnet squad at St Albans this week, revealed that he had been talking to Barnet manager Paul Fairclough on and off for the past year about a move to Underhill. The move has now taken place and Darlington could possibly be where he makes his Barnet bow.

"It has been a long drawn out situation," Warhurst told Barnet's official website. "But I am glad to be here eventually. Hopefully my experience can be of some benefit to what is a young team and I look forward to the challenge of helping keep Barnet in the league."

Darlington will be without Matty Appleby due to injury and Clark Keltie will be missing for the second game of a four match ban. James Beaumont, on loan from Nottingham Forest, could also be involved in some shape or form. Full match report and post match comments to follow late on Saturday evening.

Last ten meetings

2005/06
League 2	Darlington	2-1	Barnet	28-12-05
2000/01
Division 3	Barnet	3-0	Darlington	17-02-01
Division 3	Darlington	1-0	Barnet	16-09-00
1999/00
Division 3	Darlington	4-0	Barnet	07-03-00
Division 3	Barnet	1-0	Darlington	06-11-99
1998/99
Division 3	Barnet	3-0	Darlington	09-01-99
Division 3	Darlington	0-2	Barnet	08-08-98
1997/98
Division 3	Darlington	2-3	Barnet	04-04-98
Division 3	Barnet	2-0	Darlington	29-11-97
1996/97
Division 3	Barnet	0-0	Darlington	25-01-97

Barnet's last five games