Preview and stats pack for Saturday’s away game at Brackley

This weekend we travel to Brackley Town looking to keep up our recent good run (writes Simon Hahn). We picked up a very impressive 1-0 win at Bradford Park Avenue last weekend thanks to a David Syers goal, our third win in a row. The result also meant we are now five unbeaten, our longest run of the season.

[caption id="attachment_39798" align="alignnone" width="300"] David Syers scores at Bradford PA[/caption]

Victory at Bradford moved us up to 14^th in the table, five points off the bottom three. Brackley were in action on Tuesday night when they picked up a comfortable 3-0 win at home to bottom of the table North Ferriby. They have been in the top three in the table for the majority of the season, currently sitting third, six points behind leaders Salford.

Our previous meeting this season was Tommy Wright's first home game in charge but it ended in a 3-0 defeat as Brackley dominated from the word go.

Our visit to Brackley last season ended in a 2-2 draw despite us taking the lead twice – check out the action here.

http://darlingtonfc.co.uk/brackley-town-goals-and-reaction/

This is the Saints’ sixth season in a row in the National North division. They are the only side in the division that are still unbeaten at home.

Kick off on Saturday is 3:00pm, updates on the game will be made from the club’s Facebook, Twitter and Website. Live Commentary will be broadcast from Darlo Fans Radio at 2:50pm.

Statistics:

Quakers last five matches:

10^th February Bradford PA (away) won 1-0 Syers

Darlington: Pears, Trotman, O’Hanlon, Turnbull, Heaton, Galbraith, Gillies (sub Brown 84), Wheatley, Styche (sub Mills 89) , Syers, Thompson

Subs: Scott, Bancroft, Saunders

 3^rd February Blyth (home) won 3-0 Thompson pen, Styche, Syers

Pears, Trotman, O'Hanlon, Turnbull, Heaton, Galbraith, Caton (sub Gillies 78), Wheatley, Styche (sub Saunders 82), Syers, Thompson (sub Scott 88)

Subs: Bancroft, Brown

27^th January Leamington (away) won 3-2 Thompson 3

Pears, Brown (sub Syers 24), Heaton, Galbraith, O’Hanlon, Trotman, Wheatley, Scott (sub Turnbull 62), Thompson, Styche, Mills (sub Caton 62)

Subs not used, Bancroft, Gillies

20^th January Chorley (home) drew 2-2 Styche, Thompson pen

Pears, Trotman, Galbraith, Turnbull, Heaton, Brown, Mills (sub Saunders 62), Scott, Styche, Wheatley (sub Gillies 81), Thompson (sub Syers 81)

Subs: Marrs, Bancroft,

13^th January Alfreton (away) drew 1-1 Styche

Talbot, Portas, Galbraith, Scott, Heaton, Brown, Mills (sub Saunders 72), Turnbull, Styche, Gillies (sub Wheatley 76), Thompson

Subs: Marrs, Caton, Syers,

Leading scorer:  Reece Styche  9 (inc 2 in Trophy) Stephen Thompson 7

Team news:  Dominic Collins is out because of a hamstring injury – maybe two weeks away from a return

Stephen Thompson is suspended for one game because of his two yellow cards at Bradford last week.

James Caton is out with a pulled hamstring.

Tom Portas is out with a thigh injury

Current league position: 14th (five points above bottom three)

Position in form table of last six games:  7th

Away form: played 15, won 3, drawn 5, lost 7, scored 16, conceded 24.

Brackley

Last five matches:

13^th February North Ferriby (home) won 3-0

Brackley Town: Lewis, Myles, Gudger, S.Byrne, Graham, Dean (Streete 80), G.Walker, Armson, Ndlovu, A.Williams (Diggin 82), A.Walker (Lowe 73).     Subs not used: Lucas, Brown.

Their manager, Kevin Wilkin, said after the game: “Everyone was mightily disappointed after Saturday’s performance so it was good to have another game again so soon,” he said.  “We started tonight with good purpose and showed what we are about.  Ferriby never gave up and we had to manage the game.  We showed good patience and took our chances.  It is good to get a bit of confidence back ahead of what will be a very tough game when Darlington come here on Saturday.”

10^th February Blyth (away) lost 0-3. (first defeat since mid-November)

Brackley Town: Lewis, Myles, Gudger, S.Byrne, Graham (Lowe 46), Dean, G.Walker, Armson (Brown 75), Ndlovu, A.Williams (Lucas 77), A.Walker.     Subs not used: Streete, Diggin.

3^rd February FA Trophy Sutton United (home) won 3-1 Ndlovu, Armson, Williams

Brackley Town:   Lewis, Myles, Franklin (Graham 70), S. Byrne, Gudger, Dean, G.Walker, Armson (Lowe 85), Ndlovu, Williams (Diggin 90), A.Walker.    Subs unused: Lucas, Streete.

27^th January v Salford City (home) won 2-1 Williams, Gudger

Brackley Town:   Lewis, Myles, Franklin, S. Byrne, Gudger, Dean, G.Walker, Armson, Ndlovu (Brown 87), Williams (Streete 90+4), A.Walker.    Subs unused: Lucas, Graham, Diggin.

20^th January Tamworth (away) drew 1-1 Arnson (tenth drawn game this season)

Brackley Town:   Lewis, Myles, Franklin (Brown 83), S. Byrne, Gudger, Dean, G.Walker, Armson, Ndlovu (Lucas 90), Williams, Lowe (A.Walker 70).   Subs unused: Streete, Graham.

League position:  3^rd (conceded least number of goals in the league, 27)

Position in form table of last six games:  8th

Home form:  Played 14, won 10, drawn 4, goals scored 28, conceded 9

Leading scorer:  Aaron Williams 16

Admission prices: Adults £12, Concessions £6, Under 18s £3, Under 10s Free

Meetings in last two seasons:

This season: Darlington 0 Brackley 3

Last season: Brackley 2 Darlington 2 (Thompson, Gillies), Darlington 1 (Thompson) Brackley 0

Remember Thommo's winner? http://darlingtonfc.co.uk/watch-stephen-thompsons-winner-brackley-town/

Saturday’s games:

Alfreton v Salford, Blyth v Bradford PA, Boston United v Leamington, Brackley v Darlington, Chorley v Gainsborough, Curzon Ashton v York City, FC United of Manchester v Stockport County, Kidderminster v Harrogate Town, North Ferriby v Southport, Spennymoor Town v Nuneaton, Tamworth v AFC Telford United