Story by Kevin Luff - 8th September 2006

Quakers make the journey to London Road this weekend looking to return to winning ways against Keith Alexander's Peterborough side. The former Lincoln City boss was well known for turning the Imps into regular play-off contenders and has wasted little time at Peterborough taking the team to sixth in the table. The Posh have enjoyed a good start to the season but tasted their first defeat of the season with a surprise 1-0 loss to Bury on home soil.

The defeat came from a ninetieth minute penalty kick but the match was more notable for the dreadful injury to Simon Yeo. The striker suffered a fractured cheekbone in a challenge with Bury goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and has had to go through a number of complicated procedures. Yeo is certain to miss the game against Darlington this weekend. Peterborough are also set to be without Trevor Benjamin as well after he picked up a hamstring strain in the same match.

"We have a full squad to choose from apart from Simon and Trevor, which is obviously nice. I said at the start of the season that I like to have a few forwards at the club and obviously now we are down to three, but I am happy with my strikeforce and I don't envisage Trevor being out for too long," said Alexander on the club's official site. "I can always dip into the loan market if I need to, but I am content with what I have got. Last week's defeat was obviously disappointing, but we are not suicidal after just one loss. The lads have been upbeat in training and we are looking forward to the Darlington game."

Darlington have injury concerns going into the game. Clark Keltie continues to be absent but is making good progress from his ankle woes. Defender Craig James also serves the final game of a three match suspension. Quakers will be boosted by the return to fitness of Martin Smith. The former Sunderland man has not figured in the last two fixtures but having trained without a problem this week should be called upon by the manager who himself has been under the weather leading up to this match.

Without a win in four league games coach Neil Maddison feels the team has something to prove in this game at London Road but concedes that Darlington have been missing the likes of Clark Keltie and Martin Smith. Quakers were unable to break Torquay United down in their previous game and will be hopeful that Peterborough at home will at least come and try to play some football and leave gaps behind them.

"We've missed a few key players. Martin Smith is back in contention. Keltie has also been a miss and I think a couple of those players out has unsettled us a little bit. I think though the players do have something to prove. With the defeats we had had, we had such a good start, I think we let our standards slip a bit. I think we have played some good football at times. During the Torquay game the first fifteen minutes I thought we played well but couldn't break them down. There is a good opportunity away from home at Peterborough and I am sure the lads are up for it and looking forward to it," said Maddison.