DARLINGTON’S tough run of fixtures continues this evening when they host title favourites and leaders Salford City at Blackwell Meadows.

The fixture was twice postponed during December, Quakers hoping for third time lucky as well as a second win this season against the big-spending Ammies.

Darlington started the campaign with a 2-0 win at Salford with two goals by David Ferguson, but much has changed since then, including the team’s manager, who on Saturday returned to Blackwell Meadows to inflict Quakers’ latest loss.

It is now one win in nine games for Tommy Wright, and 22 goals conceded, after Martin Gray’s York City won 2-1.

Following a two matches with Harrogate Town over Christmas, tonight’s game makes it four in a row against full-time outfits who are pushing for promotion.

This weekend, however, Darlington travel to 17th-placed Alfreton, and Wright said: “If you look at the games we’ve played we’ve had a really tough run, I don’t think you get much tougher.

“But that’s this league in general, it’s very strong. Anybody can beat anybody on their day.

“If we go into Wednesday how we approached Saturday then we’ve got a chance of winning.”

Salford have not won in four games, but when this was pointed out to Wright, he said: “We’ve got to concentrate on ourselves. I think we’re beating ourselves, I really do. I don’t think we’re getting carved open, but we are causing our own troubles.”

Needlessly giving goals away has become an alarming trait, both of York’s strikes being particularly painful from a Quakers perspective, while further up the field fans had cause for frustration.

While Reece Styche scored took his tally to six goals, Greg Mills endured another quiet match, but Wright retains confidence in the player, and believes it is only a matter of time before he comes good for Darlington.

After two games as a substitute he was recalled on Saturday but his influence on the game came in fits and starts.

Wright, who deployed Mills on the left of a front three against York, and eh said: “Of the front three, I think Millsy will get better and better. You see it in flashes with him, you see what he’s about, he just needs a goal.

“Until he gets a goal or gets fitter I don’t think he’ll be a fans’ favourite. He’s seeing a fitness coach away from the club because he knows his fitness is an issue.

“I’ve done it myself as a player, when you come back after injury and you’ve missed a full pre-season is does affect you. He’s had one or two setbacks, but I’ve got total faith in him as a footballer.

“He’s been there and done it for me, and he will score goals for this football club, I’ve no doubt about that.”

Mills is one of the three players Wright has signed from his previous club Nuneaton Town, who are now one point ahead of third-bottom Darlington after beating Harrogate Town on Tuesday.