HAVING followed last Saturday’s 4-2 win at Brackley with Wednesday’s scintillating attacking display against Blyth Spartans, Darlington would like more of the same when they travel to Kidderminster Harriers today.

Manager Tommy Wright hopes by naming the same starting XI will mean a repeat performance at Aggborough.

At home to Blyth it was one-way traffic for the most part. Darlington recovered from conceding an early goal, one that was poorly defended, before going on to dominate, creating numerous scoring opportunities yet took only one of them, Reece Styche’s fifth goal of the season meaning it ended 1-1.

Nonetheless, supporters walked away pleased with their team’s efforts, which were a huge improvement on the previous game at Blackwell Meadows, when Quakers lost 2-1 to Curzon Ashton on the opening day of the season.

“I was pleased with the performance, and if the lads keep playing like that then we will win games of football,” said Wright.

“Fans left the ground clapping the boys, they enjoyed it because they saw a performance.

“The Spennymoor game last week felt like two points dropped, but at least they gave us more of a game, it could’ve gone either way.

“On Wednesday we literally should’ve scored ten goals, we created really good opportunities and on another night it could have been a kick in the teeth for Blyth, so they got away with that one.

“The lads are disappointed but they should be proud of their performance and fingers crossed we can do that more often because I think the fans enjoyed that.”

Wright dealt with a selection dilemma – the availability of Ben O’Hanlon after suspension – by putting him on the bench and selecting the same 11 that beat Brackley.

The manager often says players have to earn the right to stay in the team, and on Wednesday underlined his stance.

He explained: “Liam Hughes played the first game then lost his shirt, Ben got himself suspended and Terry Galbraith did really well in his place.

“Although we conceded two goals we thought we defended really well at Brackley and the lads earned their shirts and got a great result.

“They put on a great performance on Wednesday so the weekend 11 will pick itself, I can say now that it will be same team again, barring any knocks.

“The lads on the bench have got to stay patient, keep working hard and when they do get an opportunity, whether that’s for five minutes or 35 minutes, they’ve got to take it.”

In contrast to Quakers, Kidderminster were without a game in midweek, their scheduled fixture being postponed due to water damage at Chester’s home.

“They’re a full-time club I wouldn’t be surprised if they played a behind closed doors game once they knew their game at Chester was off,” added Wright.

“That’s what you’d expect a new manager to do with a new team when they haven’t been getting great results.

“I know they aren’t too happy with how things have been going, so they will probably be doing a lot of 11 v 11 in training.

“Kidderminster won’t be as open as Blyth were. Blyth are Blyth, they counter attack teams, but their strength can be their weakness as they can be open, but they are always a threat.

“They fight fire with fire, and that’s why they don’t draw many games, they either win or lose and don’t keep many clean sheets.”

Quakers have not kept a clean sheet this season, conceding seven times in four matches, while the eight goals that have scored have all been in the first half of games.

Stephen Thompson could not have come much closer to scoring in the first half on Wednesday, his sweetly-struck strike from the halfway line almost catching Peter Jameson off his line.

Jameson back-peddled and haplessly waved at the ball as it sailed overhead, but fortunately for the ex-Quakers ’keeper the strike thudded off the crossbar. A couple of inches lower and Thompson would have scored the goal of a lifetime.

Wright said: “You’ve seen players over the years hit shots like that - David Beckham, Wayne Rooney – goals that re are remembered, and he could not have hit that any sweeter.

“I’d have loved that to go in, it would have gone into his collection of screamers he’s scored for this club.

“He’s cheeky enough to try again, Styche probably will, there’s players in this team that will try to catch the ’keeper on the hop. That one caught Peter Jameson on the hop and he was very fortunate to escape that one.”