Darlington RA manager Nick Harrison is playing down promotion talk as they prepare for their away game at Whickham on Saturday.

The RA have steadily climbed up the table in recent weeks with six wins in seven games to go third, but Harrison, in his second season as manager, knows that there is still plenty of hard work to do, and said: "Whickham are an established top half team, and they will be looking to bounce back after defeat to Whitehaven. We are in good form and it will again come down to the team that adapts best to the conditions and makes the least mistakes. We're enjoying our football and every point we pick up from now until the end of the season is a bonus after recent seasons. Any team in the top ten at the moment has a chance of promotion but there are too many games left to consider it at this stage for us."

They will be without keeper Phil Pentone and striker Paul Freary.

Fifth placed Northallerton can do their promotion challenge a power of good if they can beat leaders Team Northumbria, but they will be without striker Peter Bulmer. Northallerton have won their last five league matches.

Only six points cover the nine teams chasing Team Northumbria.

North Shields, who are second, are away to bottom club Easington, with the match kicking off at 2pm owing to floodlight problems. Shields, who went through 2011 unbeaten away from home in the league, welcome back defender Paul Gordon, but striker Mark Rasmussen is missing. Easington are missing Rob Huntley because of suspension, but James Huntley, Andy Hall and Dan Flounders all return.

Esh Winning, who are fourth, are at Chester-le-Street, and they will be missing midfielder Alex Wilson , while new signing Stephen Oakley from Horden will make his debut. Defender John Jury and midfielder Chris Smith will return.

Chester, who climbed up to seventh bottom in midweek after their won over Seaham Red Star, add Chris Dukes , Sam Renwick, James Anderson and Dan Curry to their squad.

Crook, who are at home to Alnwick, are boosted by the return of midfielder John Toft after injury, but striker Kyle Davis and defender Chris Wallace are both suspended.

Birtley are at Gillford Park, who have games in hand on the eight clubs above them, and they will be without their 17 goal striker Dan Smart, while Scott Garrett, Dan Hepplewhite and Andrew Soulsby all return. Gillford, who are in ninth, add six players to their squad, but they will be without Simon Tucker and Tyran Taylor.

Hebburn, who are four points behind the pack but with games in hand, are at home to Morpeth, and add seven players to their squad who missed Monday’s win over Horden. Three players out of a squad of twelve on Monday were ill.

Brandon are at West Allotment, who are in eighth place, and they will be without Michael Nichol and Lee Tinkler, but John Meehan, Gerard Wraith, Mark Brischuk, and Rhys Jobling all return. They have also signed Max Stoker, who has been at Durham.

Seaham Red Star are at home to Whitehaven, who have climbed up to sixth bottom in recent weeks. Seaham manager Steve Cook could make changes after they lost 5-2 in midweek.

Second bottom Horden need to win at Thornaby to narrow the five point gap on third bottom Seaham Red Star, and manager Bobby Orton adds several players to his squad who missed the defeat at Hebburn on Monday. Thornaby will be missing midfielders Martin O’Riordan and Karl Garside, as well as defender Karl Liley.

In the other game, Ryton are at home to Washington.