DARLINGTON will hand out  two debuts in this evening's home game with Blyth at Blackwell Meadows.

Quakers, who are bottom of the National League North table, have signed central defender Kieran Burton from Hartlepool and striker Jim Simms from Hull City.

The duo have both agreed loan deals, and were due to play a part in the game at Banbury on Saturday until the match was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch.

Another signing, defender Blaine Rowe from Barwell, can’t play tonight because of a suspension carried over from his previous club when he was sent off against Leiston.

Darlington assistant manager Danny Rose said: “We’re under no illusions that we need to start picking up points quickly.

“We’d like to have a similar performance to go with the last home game against King’s Lynn – it was a more positive performance than result.

“There were signs of the togetherness that we want, and even though the result in the game wasn’t in our favour, some of the key indicators were very positive.

“The start in the King’s Lynn game gave us an uphill battle, but the lads showed great character to respond to that, and shows that they can do it. If we take the lead in a game, then I believe that we’ll fare a lot better.”

Quakers haven’t won a home league game yet this season, and Rose added: “We’re conceding too many goals and not scoring enough, and obviously those are the areas we’re addressing.

“We’ve worked on them a lot with the players. We want to keep as many clean sheets as we can which gives us a platform to pick up points.”

Quakers were really disappointed that the Banbury trip was postponed for the second successive season, and Rose said: “We’d prepared as best as possible in training, and the lads were in a really good place, but unfortunately we can’t control the elements.”

Rose and manager Josh Gowling instead went to watch their opponents on Saturday week, Farsley, in action at home to Brackley.

Midfielder Adriano Moke and striker Mitchell Curry are both struggling with injuries ahead of this evening's game.