"Bucks aiming to keep Quakers quiet"

Match Date : November 1st, 2022 7:45 pm
Competition : National League North
Ground : New Bucks Head
Kick Off : 19:45

AFC Telford United face Darlington at the New Bucks Head this Tuesday evening.

After five games Darlo and the Bucks had identical records, mirroring each other result for result – win, draw, loss, loss, draw. However, while the Bucks have picked up just two points from the next 27 on offer, the Quakers racked up 20 points to lift them all the way up to 4th. That said, after run of six league wins in a row, the County Durham club are currently four without a win in the National League North.

Boss Alun Armstrong was appointed by the Quakers in May 2020, shortly after he’d guided Blyth Spartans to the playoffs. And while Armstrong’s Darlington haven’t previously hit the heights of his Spartans side, last season saw the Quakers in playoff contention for much of the campaign before they tailed off in April and May – Darlo were winless in their final seven games, scoring only three goals in that time.

And that sequence, in addition to losing top scorer Luke Charman in January, led Armstrong to bring in some significant attacking reinforcements this summer. Dangerous target man Mark Beck joined from Harrogate Town and has bagged 12 goals in all competitions so far, while Jacob Hazel, the Northern Premier League Premier Division’s top scorer last season with 26 league goals, arrived from Whitby Town.

The Quakers ran out 3-0 winners when the sides met at Darlington last season, which triggered the departure of Gavin Cowan as Bucks boss. But the Bucks then handed Darlo their heaviest defeat of the season, a 5-0 thumping at the New Bucks Head in January.

In fact, the Bucks have a decent record against Darlington, having won seven and drawn two of the last 13 meetings between the sides. New Telford boss Kevin Wilkin will hope that’s a good omen as the Bucks look to start climbing the table.

---

MATCHDAY INFORMATION

Tickets for Tuesday’s fixture will remain on sale up until kick-off and are available for purchase online here.