Darlington midfielder Craig Gott has been unable to shake off an ankle injury in time for this evening’s game with Penrith at Heritage Park.

He sustained the injury in the last minute of Friday’s 3-1 win at Spennmoor Town after being on the wrong end of a rash Lewis Dodds tackle.

Replacing Gott is Jonny Davis, who was an unused sub against Moors.

A Darlington win would give them a 21-point lead at the top of the Northern League, though Spennymoor will have eight games in hand after tonight.

Penrith, who name only three substitutes, are fourth-bottom and have won eight games, five of them away from home.

They lost 6-2 when they visited Heritage Park earlier this month to play Bishop Auckland.

The game is Matt Henney’s first in charge of Penrith after he was appointed on Monday.

Darlington (4-4-2): Bell; Harrison, Brown, Tait, Scott; Emms, Galbraith, Davis, Thompson; Dowson, Purewal. Subs: Porter (gk), Richardson, Moncur, Nicholls, Johnson

Penrith (4-5-1): Jamieson; Jardine, Gray, Davidson, Wood; Paul, Jackson, Rigg, Read, Allison; Murray-Jones. Subs: Bowman, Gullen, Faustino