Source: Northern_Echo
Quakers aim to pick off Cherries
SEVEN days after an away win delayed Rochdale's elevation to League One, Darlington again aim to curb any celebrations when they travel to relegation-threatened Cheltenham Town tonight.[LNB] Cheltenham can secure their League Two status with a win, though even a draw would be enough due to their vastly superior goal difference in comparison to secondbottom Grimsby Town.[LNB] The Mariners travel to The Northern Echo Arena on Saturday, a game for which they have been given 2,000 tickets.[LNB] Grimsby must win their remaining three matches and hope their relegation rivals falter if they are to avoid joining Quakers in the Blue Square Premier.[LNB] Tonight's fixture is the first of Darlington's final five matches in the Football League and manager Simon Davey hopes for an improvement on Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth.[LNB] Davey switched formations in the second half and made three substitutions, but it was all to no avail against the promotion-chasing Cherries.[LNB] It was important to freshen things up because we've got a lot of games in a short space of time, said Davey, who will make changes this evening due to injury.[LNB] Also, I need to have a look at different players. It's important that I see how players perform between now and the rest of the season because I have a lot of decisions to make about players' futures.[LNB] I want teams playing at 100 per cent against my players so I can see what we're capable of, which is why it's good were playing Cheltenham who have something to play for.[LNB] It's a selection process for me now. This is a trial period for the players who have to prove to me that they can take us forward next year but when you lose there's not many you can pat on the back and say you've done your job, you're on the bus next year'.[LNB] Then again, you could have said that after we beat Rochdale so I've got to make sure there's a consistency level so that the players give themselves an opportunity to be involved next year.[LNB] Davey's formation started with the same 4-5-1 formation which worked so effectively at Rochdale.[LNB] Davey will be without Josh Gray available due to a knee injury sustained on Saturday and may not play again this season which further restricts Quakers' options. On Saturday they could name only five substitutes.[LNB]
