AFTER seeing Saturday’s home game with Southport called off due to a waterlogged pitch, Darlington hope for a match today at Spennymoor Town where Quakers have a good record.

They have won in all four of their visits to the Brewery Field since 2012, twice against Town and twice when Moors kindly allowed Darlington to play there in April ’16 when Heritage Park was waterlogged.

The latter two games, against Stamford and Grantham, came at the culmination of Darlington’s Northern Premier League title-winning season when Martin Gray’s team crammed their final nine games into 22 days.

Spennymoor are facing similar congestion, their aim to finish in the play-offs not assisted by the effect of a glut of postponements and a run in the FA Trophy which ended at the quarter-final stage against Bromley, a fixture moved to Blackwell Meadows due to the condition of the Brewery Field playing area.

The forecast wet weather overnight and this morning, however, may leave the Brewery Field unavailable again.

Not playing on Saturday at least gave Reece Styche and Dave Syers a little extra time to recover from their respective injuries, while Phil Turnbull was unavailable due to being at the wedding of his twin brother Stephen.

Dom Collins and Tom Portas are both close to returning to fitness, and once the pair return they will further strengthen manager Tommy Wright’s options.

Collins started and Portas came off the bench when Darlington drew 1-1 with Spennymoor in August at Blackwell, Gary Brown equalising at close-range in the second half after David Foley had put the visitors ahead before the break.

It was the second draw between the teams in seven meetings – five of the games in the league, one in the play-offs and one a cup clash.

Darlington have won four fixtures, Spennymoor coming out on top in a Northern League Cup second round tie in November 2012 when both sides made changes, Quakers making nine of them.

Wright has selected a largely settled side of late during a run of one defeat in 11 matches, results that have taken Quakers to 11th in the table, four places and seven points behind Spennymoor, who have games in hand on every team in the division.

Moors are requesting all fans to arrive at least half an hour before today’s 3pm kick-off to avoid potential congestion, and turnstiles open at 1.30pm.

Supporters will be segregated today, with Moors in the Main Stand and Pond Stand, Darlington fans in the open terracing at the Durham Road end and Tees Crescent side.

*Quakers CEO David Johnston performed with his punk band Silly Things at a successful fundraising evening for the Darlington Supporters Group on Saturday.

The event, chiefly organised by Rob Duncan, took place at the Cleveland Bridge Social Club, attended by manager Tommy Wright and assistant Alan White, raised £875 for the DFCSG.