PROMOTION-CHASING Darlington go into the biggest game of their season so far against leaders MK Dons with midfielder Micky Cummins in the best scoring form of his Quakers career.

Cummins puts his upturn in fortunes down to Darlington's management duo Dave Penney and Martin Gray.

He joined the club in the summer of 2006 with a reputation as a goal-scoring midfielder, having reached double figures in his last season with Port Vale in League One.

But dropping into the basement division with Quakers did not bring the goals expected from the Irish former Middlesbrough apprentice.

He scored in his second game last season, but by the campaign's end he had notched only four in 45 games and then failed to find the target in any of this season's first 20 matches.

But in Cummins' last three games he has scored four goals, including the equaliser against Rotherham United on Boxing Day which preserved Darlington's unbeaten home record.

Quakers are unbeaten in ten home league games this season and aim to make it 11 against Paul Ince's leaders, with Cummins hoping for another goal.

He said: "I'd put the goals down to the manager being on my back about my weight, so I've trimmed down a bit, and the extra work I've put in with Martin.

"Martin's put on extra sessions just for me and I've been getting into the box more too, so I'm enjoying my little purple patch. I feel as though I could score in every game if the ball drops to me in the box. Like the manager said to me, I got into the box once on Wednesday and scored, so all the hard work I've been putting in has paid off.

"Against Rotherham I tried to get a touch but the ball looped into the air off a defender. I was aware of the keeper but I just wanted to get my shot on target and I think it might have gone through his legs or under his feet."

The match was Quakers' eighth in front of over 6,000 fans at the Arena and the first of them they had not lost.

It was also the first time Quakers had scored when playing in front of such a large crowd, and Cummins added: "I was told after the game it was the first goal in front of 6,000.

"Hopefully we'll get another big crowd on Saturday and we'll see a second goal."

A last-minute goal by Jemal Johnson, who was on loan at Darlington in 2005/06, gave MK Dons a 2-1 win at Notts County on Boxing Day so they are now six points clear at the top and eight ahead of third-placed Quakers.

That means a win today is all the more important if Darlington are to stay in touch with the leaders.

Penney's side do have two games in hand, which will soon become three as their match at Barnet on January 5 has to be rearranged, but Cummins knows the importance of today's game.

He said: "They got a late goal again on Boxing Day so they're eight points away from us now.

We need to get a result on Saturday, we need three points to keep in touch.

"I know we've got the two games in hand but we've got to win them yet, so we'll be doing our best on Saturday to get a result.

"They're a set-piece side.

They're most dangerous at long throws and corners and they're a big, physical side so we'll have to play them at our game and make sure we run the socks off them.

"We put in some very good performances this season, particularly the last two away games, when we've been free-scoring and solid at the back. Wednesday was a bit of a hiccup but maybe it has prepared us for Saturday."

MK Dons beat Darlington 1-0 in their meeting earlier in the season thanks to a last-minute goal and a direct playing style that has taken them to the top of the table.

Penney said: "Playing long balls is their strength and they play to them - as far as I'm concerned fair play to them for that.

"We'll continue what we have been doing and that means working hard on closing teams down from the front, stopping the opposition getting good balls up to their front men and we'll certainly be better than we were on Wednesday.

"We want to make it like a cuptie atmosphere like it was for the last half an hour on Wednesday.

"We were up for it and the crowd were more positive so we want to make it that kind of game if we can and play in their half of the pitch."