DARLINGTON play one of their final friendlies of the summer this evening when they go to Northallerton Town, and manager Alun Armstrong says his squad and academy youngsters will be involved.

The season starts with a match at Farsley Celtic on Saturday, August 3, with the last friendly being on Tuesday, July 30 at Whitby Town. Also to come is a game at Blackwell Meadows against Middlesbrough under-23s on Saturday (1pm).

The matches Whitby and Boro’s youngsters will be an opportunity to select a starting XI as close as Armstrong can to the one which he will choose seven at Farsley with tonight, against Northern League opposition, treated as a run-out.

Armstrong said: “It’ll be a mix of teams to give lads 45 minutes each. Thursday we’ll train again and look at our shape for Saturday.”

Terry Galbraith and Jarrett Rivers will be involved if they have overcome the issues which kept their out of Saturday’s friendly with Halifax Town.

Galbraith was ill and Rivers had a thigh problem, but there will be no David Atkinson as Quakers nurse him through the ankle issue he sustained on Saturday.

Atkinson was replaced after just nine minutes by Osagi Bascome, who had a mixed afternoon, while Justin Donowa’s display and Armstrong’s post-match comments suggested he could have a future with Quakers.

The manager said: “I brought Osagi on to have a look at him and he’s got a lot of work to do on the other side of the game, not just the passing. It was the good part of his game that let him down.

“Justin did well. He needs a lot of work on his positioning to get him higher up the pitch, Stephen Thompson was screaming at him to try and get him up there.

“But he’s useful, he’s really quick, it’s just that fine detail in his game that he needs to improve but that will come.”

Kick-off this evening is 7.30pm with admission £6 for adults, £4 concessions and £1 for children.