MARTIN GRAY must do a head count before selecting a defence from his injury-hit squad for this evening’s game at Chorley.

Gary Brown is definitely out on doctor’s orders as he continues to suffer the effects of concussion sustained in a collision during the match at York City three weeks ago.

He has since played, scoring in the 1-1 draw last week against Spennymoor Town, but was ruled out at Southport on Saturday, when right-back Liam Marrs was also unavailable due to an ankle problem.

Gray hopes Marrs will be fit this evening, while Terry Galbraith is rated at 50/50 after jarring his knee on Saturday, an injury which saw him limp off at Haig Avenue.

Kevin Burgess came through his comeback, albeit sooner than anticipated, with no concerns and he will travel to Chorley, as will midfielder Tom Portas who Gray says comes into the reckoning for a starting spot after a fine showing as a substitute.

“I was delighted with the first half on Saturday, but we’ve got to, as a team, be better at taking chances," said Gray.

“Some of the attacking play in the first half was as good as it’s been all season, we didn’t our chances though and we need to clinical in both boxes.

“The players understand. We’re not putting any pressure on the players, but we need to be better in them areas, back to what we were in the first four games of the season.”

Darlington won three and drew once of their first four fixtures, the draw at York City the beginning of a five-match run without a win, though Quakers remain seventh.

Gray said: “I don’t see it as a bad run. I’m not concerned, but I’ll be concerned if it becomes a six, seven or eight-game run.

“We’re in the play-offs, we’re seventh and win on Tuesday we can improve our position, and that’s what we’ve got to do.”

Chorley, who are 14th, finished sixth and lost in the play-off final last season, taking advantage of Quakers not having enough covered seating to replace them in the play-offs.

Gray added: “They were in the play-offs last year so they’ve not had the start that they wanted, but they’ve just beaten York. They will be a team who will, in my opinion, be in the play-offs again. We can’t afford to underestimate anyone.”

This evening’s game is Quakers’ last before three in a row at home, having been handed an FA Cup tie with South Shields at Blackwell Meadows to be played a week on Saturday.

The second qualifying round tie, worth £4,500 to the winners, will see last season’s Northern League title winners backed by a large following as they have been attracting around 1,500 at home games this season in the Evo-Stik First Division.

Julio Arca's team, who are two levels below Darlington, have won all four league matches so far, while they have won 29 away games in a row, including finals played at neutral venues, stretching back to September 2016.

This weekend Darlington are at home to Leamington and are then at Blackwell Meadows again against FC United a week tomorrow.