Darlington are looking to put more daylight between themselves and the relegation zone when Peterborough Sports visit Blackwell Meadows on Saturday afternoon.

Quakers’ surge up the table has been remarkable in the last month. They were second-bottom and well adrift of safety in the middle of February.

But Tuesday’s 2-1 in at Blyth was Darlington’s sixth victory in eight matches, a run which has catapulted Quakers up to fifth-bottom, two points above the last relegation place currently occupied by next Saturday’s opponents Rushall Olympic.

Quakers are now level on points with King’s Lynn and Blyth – they were 14 points behind Blyth just three weeks ago - and three behind Farsley. If Steve Watson’s side win today, and King’s Lynn beat Rushall, they could be five points ahead of the bottom four.

But assistant manager Terry Mitchell says that he is only taking one game at a time. “We still need to get a minimum of three wins from seven matches to be safe,” he said.

“We can’t rest after the run we’ve had. The players have been brilliant, they’ve given it a real good go in recent weeks and they’re full of confidence, but Saturday’s game will be difficult.

“It’s all about us and what we do. We’ll take any helping hand if other teams have bad results, but it’s all in our own hands now. We have to play two or three clubs yet who are around us, but there’s real concentration from everybody involved. We’re just taking these games one at a time.

“Hopefully the lads will continue with the top performances that we’ve had over the last few weeks. I remember the first two or three matches, and that we didn’t hit the target enough. Since Steve and I came in, every training session has been about attacking play, and scoring and creating goals.

“We’re now in a position in which we have a positive goal difference since we came in, and if we keep doing that, then we’re going to get the results that we need.”

Midfielder Joe Gibson will be included in the squad for the second time after signing on loan from Middlesbrough late on Tuesday afternoon.

“He’s an attacking player, and he will help us win games,” said Mitchell. “We needed some competition at the top end of the pitch, and he’s been highly recommended by Middlesbrough.”

Mitchell believes the game should be very entertaining. “They’re an attack-minded team, just like ourselves. It’s our philosophy to win rather than draw. They’re very similar to us, they’re in a rich vein of form. They played Gateshead in the Trophy last Saturday and they pushed them all the way.

“It looks as though it’s going be an entertaining and attacking game.”

Striker Andrew Nelson, and midfielders Ben Liddle and Jonny Ngandu are all missing, while three other players are expected to shake off slight knocks. Defender Cardo Siddik and striker Akwasi Asante are also back in light training.

Peterborough, who are 15th in the table and five points ahead of Quakers, will include former Darlington players Jordan Nicholson and Kaine Felix.

Meanwhile, on-loan goalkeeper Matthew Young has been called up by England’s under-18s squad.

The young England team play Czechia, Germany and the Netherlands across six days in Spain next week as part of the U18 Pinatar Super Cup.

Young, 17, has been outstanding during his loan from Sunderland and revealed in midweek that he hopes to extend his loan for the remainder of the season.

In November Young, who joined the Stadium of Light club at the age of seven, signed his first professional contract, agreeing a three-year deal to summer 2026.