THERE are smiles on faces at Darlington again after putting together their best run of form since August, but they have injury concerns ahead of Saturday’s trip to Bradford Park Avenue.

Tom Portas continues to nurse a calf strain, and Quakers are concerned about James Caton who has a hamstring problem.

He sustained the issue during the second half of last week’s win over Blyth Spartans when sprinting towards an opponent having been on the receiving end of a heavy challenge seconds earlier.

Tommy Wright will assess the pair before selecting his squad for Saturday’s fixture, though the manager can at least call on Greg Mills after he overcame injury.

Mills missed out against Blyth with a hamstring problem, though Wright said: “He probably could have featured on the bench. But if we’d had an injury early in the game, would he have been for 80 minutes? The answer was no, so we were a bit cautious there because we’ve had quite a few muscle injuries recently.”

Darlington have won two and drawn two of their last four fixtures, form they aim to maintain at Bradford.

Speaking earlier today, Wright said: “There’s smiles back on faces. I loved training on Tuesday, I’m looking forward to training tonight and we'll assess the injured lads.”

Quakers are 15th, while Bradford are seventh having risen above Blyth with Monday’s 5-0 win over Gainsborough Trinity.

Meanwhile, youngster Dale Milburn has joined Seaham Red Star on loan, three weeks after returning from a spell with Sunderland RCA, however, Quakers fear they are about to lose a talented teenager.

York City have approached Darlington to speak to Vinny Steels, the highly-rated 16-year-old winger who plays in the club’s reserves, but due to his age is not under contract.

Steels, from Hartlepool, turns 17 in August and is highly rated by Wright, while the player is coveted by Martin Gray, who included the youngster in some of Darlington’s pre-season friendlies last summer.

York, using the seven day approach rule, lodged their interest on Monday, so will officially be able to speak to Steels next week, and Wright is resigned to losing him.