Story by Kevin Luff - 5th February 2007
Quakers have a chance to make up ground on the top seven pack tomorrow night at Bristol Rovers. Darlington are eleven points behind the play-offs following Saturday's 1-1 draw with lowly Macclesfield Town and if Dave Penney's men are to have a realistic chance of breaking into the top seven pack they need to record maximum points.
The draw at Moss Rose over the weekend extended Darlington's unbeaten run to six games - the best form enjoyed by the club since Penney's arrival and the end of a heady six game winning run in late October and November. The point leaves Quakers' firmly entrenched in the middle of League Two and whilst the result keeps the positive run going assistant manager Martin Gray admitted his disappointment at the result.
"When you go that long winning 1-0 and there is only five minutes to go and you concede from a throw in which you've dealt with all game it's disappointing," admitted Gray. "The lads felt as if they had lost the game. On the upside it is five games unbeaten now so you've got to take the positives from it."
Like Darlington the Pirates are themselves some distance from the play-off pack. Seven points stand between themselves and the top seven however their progress in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy means their season is very much alive. Rover's hopes of maintaining their play-off ambitions, like Quakers, for the remainder of the season could hinge on tomorrow night's fixture at the Memorial Ground.
Darlington will be able to call upon Evan Horwood for the game on Tuesday night. The defender has served his three match ban for a red card at Bury and is now free to continue. Unlikely to feature though is Tim Ryan. The former Boston United player missed the game with Macclesfield due to a hamstring problem and the indications are the match against Boston United is a more realistic proposition for his return to action.
Quakers favoured a 4-3-3 system for their previous outing but on the surface of it a similar system would appear unlikely with the removal of Tommy Wright after sixty-five minutes thanks to a groin problem. Either way the management team appear likely to firm up their plans tomorrow morning.
"It will all depend on how players are tomorrow morning when they get out of their beds. We have one or two knocks from over the weekend so we'll have to see how they do after another day of treatment. We are taking an eighteen man squad down to Bristol and we'll see what's what tomorrow," said Gray.
The match against Bristol Rovers kick's off at 7.45pm tomorrow night.
