Darlington make the trip to Marine this weekend looking to make it back-to-back league wins. The Quakers picked up their first win of the New Year at home to Colwyn Bay 3-0 last weekend.

Despite the victory other results in midweek saw the side slip to seventh place in the league table. However, Darlington have at least three games in hand on all those above them.

Quakers' team last weekend:

Darlington: Jameson, Hunter, Galbraith, Turnbull, Burgess, Brown, Mitchell, Scott, Gaskell (sub Dowson 70), Cartman (sub Armstrong 82), Thompson (sub Portas 79)

[caption id="attachment_16788" align="alignnone" width="300"] Kevin Burgess scores against Colwyn Bay last week[/caption]

Quakers have won their last two away league games at Blyth and Hyde.

Darlington manager Martin Gray said; "We must continue where we left off last Saturday, when we put in a satisfying performance against Colwyn Bay. We played some very good football, and there were some good goals.

"This is our first away game of the year, and I want to start our travelling campaign well. We must keep the pressure on the other teams at the top."

MG also hints at possible squad rotation over the last three months of the season, with 23 league games and one league cup game to play in 12 playing weeks. "We have so many games coming up in the next few weeks, that every player in the squad can expect to be busy. "

Marine are just outside the relegation places on goal difference. Despite their league position they have only conceded 31 times this season, the sixth best defensive record in the division.

They started off the season proving hard to beat, losing only one of their first nine league games. However, recently they have fallen to six defeats from their last eight games in all competitions. Their latest outing on Tuesday night saw them fall to a 3-0 defeat at Rushall Olympic.

Marine's last eight matches:

January 26th Rushall (away) lost 0-3.

Marine: Cooper, Wainwright, Short, Willis, Peers, Nicholas, Codling, Burton, Mitchley, Sharp (Ellams 67), Bellew (Foley 80)

Subs not used: Hessey, Clair, Sharman

January 23rd Barwell (home) lost 1-2 Mitchley

January 19th IDSL Ramsbottom (home) won 2-1 Mitchley, Evans

January 2nd Halesowen (home) lost 0-3

December 19th Ilkeston (away) drew 0-0

December 15th Workington (home) lost 1-2 Willis

December 8th FA Trophy Burscough (home) lost 1-2 Mitchley

December 5th Blyth (home) lost 0-2

Last time we met

When the sides met in October at Heritage Park, the Quakers suffered a frustrating afternoon, as they fell to a 1-0 defeat after a goal from the penalty spot.

Darlington 0 Marine 1

Lee Gaskell made his home debut after signing from Ramsbottom, but we drew a blank in a home defeat against the Merseysiders.

[caption id="attachment_16787" align="alignnone" width="300"] Lee Gaskell in action against Marine[/caption]

Gaskell partnered Nathan Cartman to make a pair of Golden Boot winners, but they didn’t really get the service they needed in an off day for the team.

Quakers nearly scored in the opening minute, when the ball was crossed to the far post where Rob Youhill fired into the side netting, and on 10 minutes Cartman turned quickly on the corner of the box and fired just over the top.

Marine were content to soak up the pressure and hit Quakers on the break.

But Marine replied with a curling free kick by Jamie Menagh that Darlington keeper Peter Jameson punched away and then he made a point blank save from Andy Nicholas.

Marine took the lead on 76 minutes when Alan White was adjudged to have pushed Menagh to the ground in the area, and Lloyd Ellams scored from the spot.

Quakers had penalty appeals turned down in stoppage time when Cartman’s shot appeared to be handled, but the ref waved them away.

Team:

Jameson, Hunter, Galbraith, Portas (sub Scott 5), Burgess, White, Youhill, (sub Mitchell 57), Turnbull, Gaskell, Cartman, Thompson (sub Armstrong 65)

Subs not used: Provett, Watson

Attendance 1,171

Bookings: Thompson, Mitchell, White

The game starts a run of two games  a week  for the club, after Saturday we host Buxton on Tuesday.

Kick-off on Saturday is 3pm, updates will be made on Facebook, Twitter, the club website, Darlo Fans Radio, the club’s phone app and after the game Kev will put his tv highlights on line.