After three precious points in the promotion race last week, it’s another away trip to an in-form side tomorrow, in the shape of Darlington. As if the prospect of a trip to the frozen wastes of the North East wasn’t enough, however, we have also to face the prospect of coming up against two former players – and we all know what can happen when that’s the case!

Out for the rest of the season, it now appears, will be Ian Roper. The big centre half has, thank God, been diagnosed as suffering medial, rather than cruciate knee ligament damage, but that still means at least 6 to 8 weeks on the sidelines. Just to make matters worse at the back, Chris Westwood will certainly be missing with a sore hamstring and Allan Picken has been suffering from tendonitis in the aftermath of his knee operation and is still not available.

Skipper Michael Dobson, after his second half heroics last week, is facing a fitness test on a sore calf. That seems to leave us down to the bare bones at the back, and not much better off in central midfield, although Richard Money is hinting at a return there for Darren Wrack. As for the full back berth, that seems to be a straight fight between Pead and Lyall, although the Official Site is hinting that Mark Wright may be considered there!

The two Ks, Kevin Harper and Kevin Cooper will, of course, be looking to carry on with their impressive start, but the BBC are reporting that Cederqvist also has a strain which might keep him out.

The line up is likely to be:

Ince, Pead or Lyall, Gerrard, Dann, Fox, Harper, Keates, Wrack or Pead, Cooper, Sam, Butler.

Subs are anyone’s guess, but Bossu, Pead or Lyall, Wrack and Wright could all play some part and Bradley might well come in a central defensive cover.

Darlington? Well, manager Dave Penney is still talking in terms of reaching the play-offs after a recent good run, but to manage that, they really do need to win their home games, no matter who the opposition is, so expect a hard game.

Their strike force is always going to give teams problems at this level, which brings us back to former players. Up front, they will have Tommy Wright, who was, of course, on loan to us earlier in the season, but faded after a promising start. In reserve on the bench, should the starters begin to misfire, will probably be another ex Saddler, Julian Joachim, who got the winner in their last game away at Torquay after coming on as sub. Alongside him, they might even have former Middlesboro man Alun Armstrong. Darlington are a bit like Swansea and Sheffield United in that they have a multitude of strikers on their books and, if the current bunch misfire, they just get another in!

Darlington go into the game in eighth place, just two points behind Wycombe, who fill the last of the play off slots, but a full 7 behind Stockport, in the next position. That last spot does seem to be between them, Wycombe, and Hereford, with the likes of the fast improving Shrewsbury as outsiders.