Story by Kevin Luff - 25th August 2006

Quakers are back in Coca-Cola League Two action this weekend looking to follow up their excellent midweek result over Stoke in the Carling Cup with three points. Darlington have lost their last two league games and will be eager to get back on track. Whilst David Hodgson's side are without a win since their 2-0 victory over Accrington Stanley in only the second match of the season performances have still been positive - something which Hodgson is keen to point out.

Darlington secured their place in round two of the Carling Cup in midweek despite having ten men for much of the game. The visitors' quick passing and perhaps more importantly their discipline and gutsy attitude helped Quakers seal their passage. Hodgson wants to see this replicated when Darlington run out at the Bescot Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

"Getting back to winning ways is probably the right phrase to use," said Hodgson. "In all due respect I thought we did it against Swindon but without the goals to get the rewards for the football they played. The performance at Stoke was as good as the performances we put in against Macclesfield and Accrington which got us the wins at the start of the season. I think what has maybe caught people's eye was the fact that we were down to ten men. The attitude of the players was one of we will this regardless. That is the type of thing you would like to take into the game because we know we've got the skill, we know we've got the experience and we know we have the players who can concentrate. It is just that little bit of belief that whatever we come up against we will win. That is what we have to install in them."

The Saddlers too have had their taste of cup glory early this season as Richard Money's side beat Championship Plymouth in their own backyard. Walsall have started life in League Two well having notched three straight wins before dropping their first points of the season in a 2-2 draw against Lincoln City - a game the Saddlers were 2-0 behind in for much of the afternoon. With both sides getting positive results in midweek Money is expecting a tough test when the two team's meet.

"It's another tough game for us," Money told Walsall's official website. "Darlington come here on the back of a terrific Cup result during the week. They have spent some serious money on mounting their promotion challenge this season and I fully expect them to be there or thereabouts in the final reckoning. They will come here and try to play football; I have been pleasantly surprised by the quality and the way in which teams have approached matches in this division and Darlington will be no different. All four League games that we have been involved in so far have been terrific footballing encounters."

The Saddlers are expected to be able to call upon captain Michael Dobson after he recovered from a head injury. Martin Butler and Mark Kinsella should also be available for selection after missing the midweek Carling Cup win over Plymouth. Quakers meanwhile do have a few concerns going into this fixture. Captain Clark Keltie is out thanks to a floating bone in his ankle - the midfielder will have surgery over the weekend. Meanwhile defender Craig James starts the first game of a three match ban for his midweek sending off.

Hodgson's plans will become more complicated if David Rowson fails to recover from a dead leg he picked up during the Stoke encounter. Goalkeeper Sam Russell is expected to return to action however whilst Julian Joachim could well follow up his first start with a first full appearance in the league for Quakers. This may well mean Martin Smith continuing to sit out as the management team look to avoid taking a chance on the former Sunderland player who is suffering from a slightly tight hamstring.