FIVE of Darlington’s first team will play for the reserves on Saturday, and the entire team would have featured if rules had allowed it.

Manager Martin Gray, frustrated with the recent run of poor results, wants to give as many as possible of his squad a run-out at Eastbourne Sports Complex against Redcar Athletic (2pm).

He looked into the possibility of giving his entire first-team a game for the reserves, however, Wearside League rules dictate that within 48 hours of kick-off only six players can be registered to play.

They will be Peter Jameson, Gary Brown Chris Hunter, Liam Hardy and Nathan Cartman, plus trialist Danny Racchi, who ended last season with Torquay United.

A 29-year-old midfielder, Racchi has previously played for Bury, York and Huddersfield among others.

Quakers are enduring a lean spell, their winless run currently numbering six matches in all competitions with Tuesday’s loss in the FA Trophy at Marine arguably their lowest point since 2012.

A win would have earned £4,000 in prize money as well as a tie in the first round at Stockport County tomorrow, and were 2-0 up against a team struggling in the lower half of the division below. But Marine fought back and won 3-2 with the winning goal being an injury-time penalty.

The entire squad will be in training at Eastbourne before the match against third-placed Redcar.

The reserves have won four of their last six matches to move away from the wrong end of the table.

Admission is £3.