Darlington v Macclesfield Match Preview

Darlo look to start March strong

⚽ matchday 34

Darlington 🆚 Macclesfield

📅 Tuesday, March 3^rd, 7.45 pm

🏟️ Blackwell Meadows

🎟 https://yourclub.darlingtonfc.co.uk/match-tickets

🔥 Match Preview

The Quakers look to start March as they ended February and make it four wins in a row when they welcome Macclesfield to Blackwell Meadows on Tuesday night.

Darlo come into this home game after a great week of football, going three wins from three games with two clean sheets. Last time out for The Quakers was a 2-0 win against Bedford Town, with an early goal from Cedric Main and an early second-half goal from Jack Maskell enough to round off a good performance.

At home this season, The Quakers have been good value for money with seven wins and five draws in 15 games with 33 goals scored and 21 conceded, which has gained them 26 points, which puts them 11th in the home form table.

Darlington’s opponents, Macclesfield, have been a great team to watch this season and, for a newly promoted team, have found real success in the league and had a memorable run in the FA Cup, beating Premier League opposition in Crystal Palace.

The Silkmen come into this game after a 2-2 draw away at Scarborough Athletic with goals from Paul Dawson and James Gale. Macclesfield currently sit 9^th in the league with 15 wins and seven draws in 31 league games with 56 goals scored and 46 conceded for a total of 52 points.

Away from home this season is where Macclesfield have struggled with four wins and four draws in 13 games and sit 18^th in the away form table with 20 goals scored and 24 conceded, which has gained The Silkmen 16 points.

The last time the teams met was back in August, when after an early goal for Danny Elliott, Darlo responded through Jack Maskell, before there was late heartbreak for Darlo when D’Mani Mellor scored a late winner.

We'd like to thank Hilliard's Furniture for being our matchball sponsor

www.hilliardsathome.com

📰TEAM NEWS

Will Hatfield is out for the season with a cruciate ligament injury.

Paddy McLaughlin is out because of injury

Tom Platt and Ellis Stanton will both have fitness tests

👤 Player Spotlight

D’Mani Mellor was the man who got the winner last time out, and he has impressed this season, scoring goals. The Manchester United academy product recently scored a hat trick in their 5-1 victory over Kidderminster Harriers

They recently signed young goalkeeper Rogan Ravenhill on loan from Barnsley. He impressed on loan at bottom of the table, Leamington, especially when he faced The Quakers. He made his debut for Macclesfield in a 4-0 victory over King’s Lynn Town.

📈 Recent results

🏁 Darlington

28^th February 2026: Darlington 2 (Main, Maskell) Bedford Town 0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuLSS1w1YOQ
24^th February 2026: Curzon Ashton 1-2 Darlington (Maskell, Main)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7LFDSTRP9Q
21^st February 2026: Spennymoor 0-4 Darlington (Howells, Main x2, Maskell)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLYziudt6oI&t=405s
17^th February 2026: Hereford 1-0 Darlington
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLXqHjC5zlw
7^th February 2026: Southport 2-2 Darlington (Platt, Main)
https://youtu.be/KOVGyEaWJCk?si=vpo9WogQvRVft5Rt

🔵Macclesfield

28^th February 2026: Scarborough 2-2 Macclesfield (Dawson, Gale)
24^th February 2026: Macclesfield 1 (Dawson) Fylde 4
21^st February 2026: Macclesfield 4 (Duffy, O.G., Mellor, Gale) King’s Lynn 0
16^th February 2026 FA Cup 4R: Macclesfield 0-1 Brentford
10^th February 2026: Macclesfield 3 (Dawson, Gale x2) Leamington 1