DARLINGTON could win the title this evening so another big attendance is expected when they play their final home league game of the season against Grantham.

The match will be played at Heritage Park, the pitch having had time to recover from being waterlogged and leading to Quakers playing two games at Spennymoor Town’s home.

On Sunday at the Brewery Field they returned to the top of the Northern Premier League with a 2-1 victory over Stamford in front of 1,707 spectators, the club’s second highest of the season.

The only bigger gate was 1,767 back in August for the 2-1 win over Blyth Spartans, who host Rushall Olympic this evening.

Should Blyth fail to beat their 11th-placed opposition, for whom former Quaker Kris Taylor will play, and Darlington take three points then the title will go to Martin Gray’s team, and the manager is calling on the club’s supporters to cheer them on again.

“What a magnificent crowd on Sunday. Non-league level and we get support like that, what a great atmosphere,” he said. “We need them there again on Tuesday, it’s so important.

“The crowd behind us were a great motivation. You come out for the second half and see all those fans behind the goal wanting us to win, having that many people supporting us can only help draw the ball towards the goal.

“The lads really appreciate the support. Over 1,700 people for a non-league game, it can only be a good thing for us.”

Quakers are two points ahead of Blyth with three games to play – they are at Whitby on Thursday and Rushall on Saturday – while Blyth have only two fixtures remaining. They conclude the campaign at home to Marine, who are 17th.

Midfielder Phil Turnbull will be missing with a hamstring problem first sustained in the win at Grantham nine days ago.

His comeback was aborted after seven minutes on Sunday, and Gray said: “He had a fitness test, he thought he was fit, he’d worked hard, but unfortunately muscle injuries at this stage of the season are going to happen.

“That puts him out, but we’ve got a squad and Terry Galbraith moved into midfield and was very good, and so was Paul Weldon at left-back.

“That’s what the squad’s there for, to look after these moments.”

Tom Portas will take Turnbull’s place. He has had a back complaint so was not risked at the weekend.

“He could’ve played,” said Gray. “But we didn’t want to risk him and Turnbull together, that would’ve been crazy.”

Darlington defeated Grantham 2-0 last week with Liam Hardy scoring one of the goals.

The striker is likely to be recalled this evening with Gray shuffling the pack in order to combat fatigue among his squad, which is playing four fixtures inside the last seven days of the season.

Adam Mitchell got Sunday’s winner, scoring directly from a corner, and Gray added: “We needed that second goal and had enough set-pieces to get something, free-kick after free-kick, corner after corner.

“You’re hoping that sooner or later one is going to drop for you, and it went in direct, which you don’t see very often.

“A draw would’ve put us top, but we wanted a win. We’ve got a winning mentality.”