January looks to be a critical month for Darlington’s playoff push, and with a jam-packed schedule to begin 2025, here’s how the first month of the new year lines up.

Matchday 24: South Shields v Darlington

📅 Wednesday 1st January 2025, 3:00 PM
📍 1st Cloud Arena

On the cusp of the playoffs, Darlington head into the new year with a six-pointer against fellow North Eastern side South Shields at the 1st Cloud Arena.

The Mariners go into the match in 12th place, two places lower than Darlington but on the same number of points as the Quakers, just a point outside of the playoff positions.

This is the first time the two sides have met this season with the reverse fixture in April, but the last time the two sides met the game finished 4-0 to Darlington in South Shields with Will Hatfield, Cedric Main, Kallum Griffiths, and Mitch Curry scoring the goals.

Cedric Main netted his first goal in that 4-0 win in South Shields last February as Darlo began to find form, and all the goals came in the final 20 minutes of that game.

South Shields come into January off the back of a December where they won two, drew one, and lost one, scoring ten and conceding just four goals, including a 7-0 victory over Rushall.

The Mariners find themselves 5th in the league’s home table but 16th in the away table, a place behind Darlington, who themselves sit 15th.

Paul Blackett has scored 14 goals in 20 games for them this season and currently is the second top scorer in the entire division, two goals off top spot.

Meanwhile, an unbeaten December in the league for Darlington has shown the form that Steve Watson’s side have found, with strong performances against Scarborough and fellow playoff hopefuls Hereford showing where the team are wanting to be. Will Hatfield has found a fine vein of scoring form, scoring in three out of the four league fixtures in December, and loanee Caden Kelly ending the month with a brace against Scarborough.

December Form:

• 26th December: Spennymoor Town 1-1 South Shields (A)
  Scorers: Allan
• 21st December: South Shields 2-0 Marine (H)
  Scorers: Blackett (2)
• 14th December: Curzon Ashton 3-0 South Shields (A)

• 10th December: South Shields 7-0 Rushall Olympic (H)
  Scorers: Blackett (3), Smith, Allan (2), Hughes

Forthcoming Fixtures:

• 4th January: Hereford (H)
• 11th January: Radcliffe (A)
• 18th January: Oxford City (H)
• 25th January: Scunthorpe (A)

Matchday 25: Alfreton Town v Darlington

📅 Saturday 4th January, 3:00 PM
📍 The Impact Arena

Onto a rearranged away fixture, Darlington take on Alfreton three days after the game against South Shields.

This game was originally scheduled for 21st February but has been moved forward due to both Kidderminster and Southport still participating in the FA Trophy.

This is the second fixture between the two sides this season, with the reverse game at Blackwell Meadows finishing in a 0-0 draw in September.

The Reds find themselves in a strong position going into the new year, one place ahead of Darlington and also one point ahead in ninth place, level on points with Hereford, who occupy the last playoff position.

They come into this month on a mixed vein of form, having beaten relegation strugglers Marine and Radcliffe, lost against fellow playoff hopefuls Buxton, and drawn with third-place King’s Lynn.

Jed Abbey is the star man for The Reds, with eight goals from centre midfield this season, and the Dutchman will be hoping to add more to his tally this month.

December Form:

• 26th December: Buxton 3-2 Alfreton Town (A)
  Scorers: Salmon, Hunt
• 21st December: Alfreton Town 2-1 Radcliffe (H)
  Scorers: Abbey, Moyo
• 14th December: King’s Lynn Town 0-0 Alfreton Town (A)
• 10th December: Alfreton Town 1-0 Marine (H)
  Scorers: Day
• 7th December: Alfreton Town 0-1 Spennymoor Town (H)

Forthcoming Fixtures:

• 1st January: Curzon Ashton (H)
• 11th January: Spennymoor Town (A)
• 14th January: Brackley Town (H)
• 18th January: Chester (A)
• 25th January: Needham Market (H)
• 28th January: Leamington (H)

Matchday 26: Darlington v Chorley

📅 Saturday 11th January, 3:00 PM
📍 Blackwell Meadows

Another of the playoff hopefuls, and Darlington’s first home game of the month, sees Chorley visit Blackwell Meadows.

At the end of the year, Chorley occupied sixth place in the Vanarama National League North table, two points and four places ahead of Darlington.

This game is the second meeting between Darlington and The Magpies, with Chorley triumphing 3-0 in October at Victory Park, with goals from George Horbury and a Momodou Touray brace.

Touray, Chorley’s top scorer, has five goals this season, with only three not coming against the Quakers.

The Magpies come into this month on the back of a December where they only played two league games, losing 1-0 against fellow playoff sitters Hereford before winning 2-1 against struggling Rushall.

December Form:

• 26th December: Radcliffe P-P Chorley (A)
• 21st December: Chorley 2-1 Rushall Olympic (H)
  Scorers: Hall, Calveley
• 14th December: Hereford 1-0 Chorley (A)
• 7th December: FA Trophy Chorley 3-2 Warrington Rylands (H)
  Scorers: Carr, Henley, Sampson

Forthcoming Fixtures:

• 1st January: Buxton (H)
• 4th January: Forest Green (A) *FA Trophy
• 18th January: Scunthorpe (H)
• 25th January: Southport (A)
• 28th January: Scarborough Athletic (A)

Matchday 27: Leamington v Darlington

📅 Saturday 18th January, 3:00 PM
📍 New Windmill Ground

The first and only relegation-threatened opposition of the month is that of Leamington at the New Windmill Ground.

The Brakes find themselves 18th in the league table, six points above Radcliffe and the drop zone but eight places and ten points behind Darlington.

This is the second meeting between the two sides with differing fortunes, with the Quakers narrowly winning 1-0 in August courtesy of Will Hatfield. However, if past fixtures between the two sides are anything to go by, this match should end in a deadlock, with five of the last nine between these two ending in a stalemate.

Callum Stewart is the top scorer for Leamington, boasting an impressive 14 goals in 22 games this season, leaving him as the division’s top scorer.

The Brakes come into this match on the back of a December where they lost more than they won, beating high-flying Curzon Ashton 4-1 before suffering league defeats to both Spennymoor and Brackley.

December Form:

• 26th December: Brackley Town 2-1 Leamington (A)
  Scorers: Berridge
• 21st December: Leamington 4-1 Curzon Ashton (H)
  Scorers: Walker, Stewart (3)
• 14th December: Spennymoor Town 2-1 Leamington (A)
  Scorers: Landers

• 10th December: Trophy Leamington 0-2 Rochdale (H)

Forthcoming Fixtures:

• 1st January: Hereford (H)
• 4th January: Buxton (H)
• 11th January: Southport (A)
• 14th January: Chester (H)
• 25th January: Rushall Olympic (A)
• 28th January: Alfreton Town (A)

Matchday 28: Kidderminster v Darlington

📅 Tuesday 21st January, 7:45 PM
📍 Aggborough

The final away game of the month sees Darlington travel to the Midlands to face Kidderminster, the league leaders at the end of 2024.

At the start of the year, Harriers were one point ahead of Curzon Ashton and King’s Lynn, and nine positions and seven points ahead of the Quakers.

The game is the second meeting between the two sides this season, with Kidderminster winning 2-1 at Blackwell Meadows in August in the first game of the season. Goals that summer afternoon came from Amari Morgan-Smith and Maziar Kouhyar for the visitors, while Will Hatfield got the goal for Darlington.

Ashley Hemmings is the top scorer for Harriers this season, with nine goals from the left flank. Centre forward Morgan-Smith has six goals so far this campaign.

Kidderminster finished the year with three straight victories: a 4-0 win at Radcliffe, a 2-0 victory at home to Southport, and a 3-0 victory at Hereford.

December Form:

• 26th December: Hereford 0-3 Kidderminster Harriers (A)
  Scorers: Brown, Obadeyi, Morgan-Smith
• 21st December: Kidderminster Harriers 2-0 Southport (H)
  Scorers: Hemmings, Brown
• 14th December: Radcliffe 0-4 Kidderminster Harriers (A)
  Scorers: Morgan-Smith, Obadeyi, Hemmings, Richards
• 7th December: AFC Fylde 2-2 (P) Kidderminster Harriers (FA TROPHY) (A)
  Scorers: Morgan-Smith, Reynolds
  Kidderminster won on penalties

Forthcoming Fixtures:

• 1st January: Rushall Olympic (H)
• 4th January: Slough (H)
• 11th January: Marine (A)
• 14th January: Scarborough (A)
• 18th January: Warrington (H)
• 25th January: Oxford City (A)
• 28th January: Brackley Town (A)

Matchday 29: Darlington v Curzon Ashton

📅 Saturday 25th January, 3:00 PM
📍 Blackwell Meadows

The penultimate game of the month sees Curzon Ashton travel to the Northeast.

Having led the league for a large period this season, at the end of the year the Nash found themselves one point behind the leaders Kidderminster Harriers and level on points with King’s Lynn.

The earlier affair between these two sides ended in a 0-0 draw at the back end of August.

Stefan Mols looks to be the dangerman for The Nash as he currently sits on eight goals from centre midfield, two more than centre forward Jimmy Spencer.

Curzon come into this month off the back of a disappointing end to December that had a very promising start, losing to Leamington 4-1 and Farsley 3-1 after an impressive 3-0 win over South Shields and a 1-0 win over Warrington.

December Form:

• 26th December: Curzon Ashton 1-3 Farsley Celtic (H)
  Scorers: Spencer
• 21st December: Leamington 4-1 Curzon Ashton (A)
  Scorers: Mols
• 14th December: Curzon Ashton 3-0 South Shields (H)
  Scorers: Buckley-Ricketts, Spencer, Lacey
• 10th December: Warrington Town 0-1 Curzon Ashton (A)
  Scorers: Matthews

Forthcoming Fixtures:

• 1st January: Alfreton (A)
• 4th January: Needham Market (A)
• 7th January: Radcliffe (H)
• 11th January: Scarborough Athletic (H)
• 18th January: Brackley Town (H)
• 28th January: Oxford City (A)

Matchday 30: Darlington v Buxton

📅 Tuesday 28th January, 7:45 PM
📍 Blackwell Meadows

And for the final game in a heavily scheduled month, Darlington take on playoff sitters Buxton at Blackwell Meadows to end on a double header of home games.

At the end of 2024, the Bucks were fifth in the league, five places and two points ahead of the Quakers in the middle of the playoff positions.

This is the second meeting of the two sides, as the previous fixture this season finished 2-0 to Buxton, with Josh Popoola and Ethan Fitzhugh grabbing one goal each in the first half.

Connor Kirby tops the scoring charts with seven goals from centre midfield, while center forward Diego Di Girolamo has scored three goals from 16 matches.

The Bucks come into this fixture on the back of a very quiet December, playing only three matches but picking up six points from them with victories over Farsley and Alfreton and a loss to Warrington sandwiched in between.

December Form:

• 26th December: Buxton 3-2 Alfreton Town (H)
  Scorers: Burton, Elliott, Sault
• 21st December: Warrington Town 1-0 Buxton (A)

• 14th December: Farsley Celtic 1-2 Buxton (A)
  Scorers: Brennan (2)

Forthcoming Fixtures:

• 1st January: Chorley (A)
• 4th January: Leamington (A)
• 11th January: Chester (H)
• 18th January: Peterborough Sports (H)
• 25th January: Marine (A)