Match preview: Darlington v York City (From York Press)

Match preview: Darlington v York City

12:11pm Friday 27th January 2012 in News By Dave Flett, Sports reporter

Marc Bridge-Wilkinson, left, is Darlington’s top scorer with five goals

CRISIS club Darlington are likely to field six teenagers again in their starting line-up at home to York City tomorrow.

The Darlington Arena club went down 3-2 at lowly Hayes & Yeading United on Tuesday night with manager Craig Liddle admitting he now fears for the well-being of the youngsters he has been forced to pitch into Blue Square Bet Premier action.

Having failed to pay players’ wages, Darlington are under a strict transfer embargo and, with centre-back Exodus Geohaghon beoming the latest player to leave this week, the club are now down to ten professionals.

Geohaghon has joined League Two side Dagenham & Redbridge, following the likes of Liam Hatch (Gateshead), Jamie Chandler (Gateshead), Sam Russell (Forest Green) and Ian Miller (Grimsby) out of the door in January.

With defenders Graeme Lee and Aaron Brown also missing due to injury against Hayes, Liddle currenly has only eight fully-fit senior players at his disposal.

Former Quakers captain Liddle, who hung up his boots seven years ago, has even re-registered as a player and could feature against the Minstermen at the age of 40.

The alternative might be to play striker Scott Harrison at the back again, as he did in midweek following Lee’s late withdrawal.

Liddle has been permitted to add one player to his squad in on-loan, Sunderland 17-year-old shot-stopper Jordan Pickford with the Conference ruling goalkeeping as a specialist role and that a replacement was needed for Russell to honour the integrity of the league.

But there will be no new outfield faces. Added Liddle: “I feel for the young players. They aren’t out of their depth because they are good players, but physically it’s a mismatch.

“They’re getting knocked off the ball. At youth team level they can handle it, but at this level it’s too much and potentially some of these kids might not recover.

“If we keep getting battered week in, week out it’s going to have a psychological effect.”

Darlington have lost all four of their 2012 fixtures with the Hayes defeat preceded by others against Fleetwood (1-0), Barrow (3-0) and Gateshead (1-0).

All told, the Quakers have won just one of their last ten games – a 2-0 home victory over Cambridge United on December 17.

That run leaves Liddle’s side just three places and two points above the relegation zone, having already been docked ten points for going into administration for the third time in less than a decade earlier this season.

Scoring goals has been a problem all campaign with former Port Vale and Carlisle midfielder Marc Bridge-Wilkinson the leading marksman on five – all from the penalty spot. A haul of 30 goals represents the second lowest in the division after bottom-placed Bath.

But Darlo’s defensive record of 37 conceded is by far the best in the lower half of the league.

Off the pitch, the 128-year-old club were saved last week when £50,000 was stumped up by fans’ groups but that money will run out on Monday. It is now hoped there will be some substance behind venture capitalist Paul Wilde’s offer to save the club.

The Sheffield Wednesday fan has come forward pledging £300,000 and wants fans to contribute £200,000 to have a 40 per cent share in their club.

Darlington (probable): Pickford, Arnison, Harrison, Taylor, P Gray, J Gray, Bridge-Wilkinson, McReady, Rundle, Hopson, Bowman.

Match facts

This is City’s second Conference visit to Darlington.

Last term they lost 2-1 on April 23, 2011, with Chris Carruthers the scorer and the line-up was: Ingham, Darville, Meredith, Fyfield, Carruthers, Boucaud, J Smith (Till), Barrett (Mackin), Chambers, Constantine (Rankine), Reed.

City made 49 Football League visits, all but one of which was at Darlington’s former home at Feethams, and won 11 times with 12 draws.

Players who have appeared for both clubs include Barry Lyons, Jimmy Seal, Chris Jones, Steve Tutill, Glenn Naylor, Gary Himsworth, Peter Duffield, Marco Gabbiadini, Lee Nogan and Barry Conlon along with goalkeepers Tony Moor and Mick Astbury.

If City avoid defeat tomorrow they will equal a club record of ten away league games unbeaten. This was achieved in 1973/4 when City won promotion to the Second Division (Championship).

It happened on January 28

1939: A 3-1 win at Wrexham with Bob Mortimer (2) and Fred Scott on the scoresheet. City were near the foot of Division Three North and the victory ended a run of eight successive away defeats.

1956: A Bootham Crescent crowd of 22,000 saw City draw 0-0 to Sunderland in the fourth round of the FA Cup. City fielded their “Happy Wanderers” line-up of Forgan, Phillips, Howe, Brown, Stewart, Spence, Hughes, Bottom, Wilkinson, Storey, Fenton.

1989: City lost 4-2 at Scunthorpe United in Division Four with Tony Canham scoring both goals.

2006: A 2-0 defeat at Woking and City were mid-table in the Conference.

Compiled by Dave Batters