We travel to Boston United on Saturday looking to mathematically confirm our place in the National North for next season. 

We go into the game 10 points ahead of third bottom Ashton United and 12 ahead of second bottom FC United of Manchester with four games to go.

Goals from Omar Holness and Stephen Thompson gave us a 2-0 victory over FC United of Manchester last weekend, our second victory in the last four games.

Boston United come into the game in 11th place in the table, eight points off the final playoff place. Their last match saw their playoff hopes suffer a huge blow as they lost 3-0 at Blyth Spartans. From the Pilgrims’ last five games they have won two, drawn one and lost two.

Our meeting earlier in the season saw us come out on top 1-0 thanks to an early own goal.

We met a host of times in League Two but of our five meetings since we were promoted into the National North we have won on three occasions. 

If you’re not coming to the game, then follow it on Darlo Fans Radio, the official website and official Twitter

Stats pack

Darlington

League position:  18th

Away form:  played 19, won 4, drawn 8, lost 7. Goals for 29, goals against 40, points 20 (out of 43)

Team News: Defender Luke Trotman returns to the squad after a one match ban, midfielder Joe Wheatley came through last week’s game against FC United without any ill effects

Leading scorer:   Jordan Nicholson 10, Stephen Thompson 9, Harvey Saunders 8

Position in form table of last six matches:  16^th  won 2, drawn 0, lost 4 , goals for 7, goals against 11

Last six matches

April 5^th FC United (home) won 2-0 Holness, Thompson

Turner, Jackson, Galbraith, T Elliott, Ainge, Holness, Nicholson (sub Wheatley 80), Palmer, Saunders (sub K Elliott 87), Kneeshaw (sub Henshall 80), Thompson

Subs: Maddison,  Bascome,

March 30^th Stockport (away) lost 0-2

March 27^th Chester (home) lost 0-1

March 23^rd Nuneaton (away) won 2-1 Thompson, Nicholson

March 9^th Hereford (away) lost 2-4 Elliott, Thompson

March 5^th Telford (away) lost 1-3 Saunders

Boston United

League position :   11th

Home form: won 7, drawn 3, lost 9, goals for 27, goals against 28 points 24 (out of 52)

Team News: Boston have an injury doubt over striker Gavin Allott

http://www.bostonunited.co.uk/news/pilgrims-primed-for-penultimate-home-clash-2416088.html

Position in form table of last six league matches 14^th  won 2, drawn 1, lost 3, goals for 10, goals against 13

Last six matches:

April 6^th Blyth (away) lost 0-3

Team: Willis, Davies, Smith, Wroe, Cresswell, Qualter, Thanoj (sub Clare 64), Abbott (sub Wafula 80), Rollins, Walker (sub Jackson 64), M Wright

March 30^th Curzon Ashton (home) won 4-1 J Wright, M Wright, Davies, Clare

March 23^rd York (away) drew 2-2 Rollins, M Wright

March 16^th Chorley (home) lost 0-2

March 9^th Southport (away) won 3-2 J Wright, Allott, Walker

March 5^th Stockport (home) lost 1-3 Davies

Last time we met:

20^th October 2018

Darlington 1 (Willis og) Boston 0

Darlington: Maddison, Trotman, Hughes, Galbraith, Elliott; Henshall (sub Burn 53), Wheatley, Nicholson, Thompson (sub Banks 90+3), Ainge, Saunders (sub Syers 90)

Boston United

Willis, Davies, Jackson, Thanoj , Middleton, Qualter, Hine (sub Wright 83), Abbott, Allott, Smith (sub Johnson 62, sub Malkowski 86), Walker

Subs:  Norris, Slew,