Marine v Darlington Match Preview
By Max O'Hara & Harvey Richards

Darlo looking to find form after disappointing late goal loss
β½ Matchday 7
Marine π Darlington
π Tuesday, September 2nd, 7:45 pm
ποΈ Marine Travel Arena
π https://marinefc.ktckts.com/event/mne2526h04/marine-v-darlington
π₯ Match Preview
The Quakers look to turn their fortunes around when they look for their second win of the season, at Marine Travel Arena.
Darlo come into the game after making the trip to Macclesfield, where a Jack Maskell goal after conceding an early penalty wasn’t enough to salvage a point as another late goal meant The Silkmen kept the points at home in a 2-1 win
Darlington’s opponents, Marine, come into this game on the back of two losses, with the most recent being a 1-0 defeat to Peterborough Sports.
Prior to these last two, Marine had three wins in a row with wins against the newly promoted Bedford and Merthyr Town, and were able to beat Buxton, who last season made the playoffs.
Bobby Grant’s Mariners have added some new signings over the last week, including two new keepers in Jack McIntyre and Everton loanee Fraser Barnsley. They have also announced the signing of former Manchester United youth player James Nolan, as well as former Blackburn Rovers youth centre back Patrick Gamble.
The last time the two clubs met, the Quakers came out 3-1 winners, when two Cedric Main penalties and an Elliot Forbes goal meant the points stayed at Blackwell Meadows.
π° Team News
Alfie Myers-Smith is out with a knee injury for another four weeks.
Scott Barrow is available for this game after a one-match suspension.
Kallum Griffiths and Matty Cornish are still a fortnight away from a return
Elliot Forbes will have a fitness test
π€ Player Spotlight
Winger Finlay Sinclair-Smith is an agile player who likes to attack his fullback, scoring twice already this season. He is in his third spell with Marine, having returned to the club from Radcliffe.
Experienced centre half Chris Doyle is in his third season with the club and has lots of experience at this level with Chorley. He scored against The Quakers in the last fixture in which Darlo ran out 3-1 victors.
π Recent results
π Darlington
- 30th August 2025: Macclesfield 2-1 Darlington (Maskell)
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BArZYjgdYhM&t=131s
- 25th August 2025: Darlington 2 (O.G., Scott) Telford 2
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNEKfyeZqPo
- 23rd August 2025: King’s Lynn 1-1 Darlington (Main)
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNzMKM05nYQ&t=43s
- 19th August 2025: Darlington 1 (Forbes) Fylde 3
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeDlss9YAus
- 16th August 2025: Alfreton 0 Darlington 3 (Hatfield x2, Hedley)
- https://youtu.be/LSN0wBJbKIY?si=2ynl7w_eTO7vM58y
βͺοΈ Marine
- 30th August 2025: Marine 0-1 Peterborough Sports
- 25th August 2025: Alfreton 2-0 Marine
- 23rd August 2025: Marine 2 (Hunter, Wardle) Bedford 1
- 19th August 2025: Merthyr Town 1-3 Marine (Wardle, Sinclair-Smith, Bell)
- 16th August 2025: Marine 2 (Newell, Sinclair-Smith) Buxton 1
π League Records
π Darlington
- Position: 19th
- Played: 6
- Wins: 1
- Draws: 2
- Losses: 3
- Goals For: 10
- Goals Against: 11
- Goal Difference: -1
- Top Scorer: Hatfield (3)
- Points: 5
βͺοΈMarine
- Position: 12th
- Played: 6
- Wins: 3
- Draws: 0
- Losses: 3
- Goals For: 7
- Goals Against: 7
- Goal Difference: 0
- Top Scorer: Sinclair-Smith (2)
- Points: 9
π€ Recent Games Between the Two
- 8th February 2025: Darlington 3 (Main x2, Forbes) Marine 1
- https://youtu.be/1afGlOwoPxk?si=MlgmNP329YeC7ooJ
- 7th September 2025: Marine 0-0 Darlington
- 6th December 2016 FA Trophy replay: Marine 3-2 Darlington (Hardy, Cartman)
- 27th November 2016 FA Trophy: Darlington 2 (Galbraith, Thompson) Marine 2
- https://youtu.be/ZYlkD_8rpU4?si=Sg6TThd5TqGxxOA7
- 30th January 2016 Northern Premier League: Marine 0-1 Darlington (Burgess)
- https://youtu.be/USSWRO5T0xo?si=tw2eoQxAp9f3hIjt
π Advice on conduct
https://darlingtonfc.co.uk/news/advice-to-fans-marine-v-darlington
π» Follow the Game
You can follow the game on Darlo Fans Radio, X, and the official website.