Darlington v Lincoln City

Following a frustrating draw with Droylsden in the FA Cup last weekend Quakers return to league action hoping for better. The leaders welcome a Lincoln City side who enjoyed an excellent October but also suffered a disappointing result in the Cup. The Imps were held to a 1-1 draw with Kettering and like Darlington will need a replay to see if they can make round two of the competition.

For now though both sides have vital league points at stake. Quakers' recent league form has taken them to the top of the pile and fans will be hoping for that run to continue as the Christmas period edges ever closer. The top end of League Two remains a tight affair but having played some of the so called big names in the division Quakers should not fear anyone.

The outcome of Darlington's season will inevitably hinge on a few key questions being answered. Can Quakers stay clear of injuries and will loan players like Liam Hatch and Billy Clarke be at the club after the festive period. These are the two biggest ones. For now at least Darlington can not concern themselves with such thoughts and must continue to try and set the pace for others to follow.

Whilst results have continued in the league for Darlington their performances haven't quite matched what they produced during much of last month. The absence of Hatch has been cited as a key reason behind this. The forward however is set to return this weekend along with Franz Burgmeier. This should give the home side a tremendous boost going into this encounter.

Lincoln meanwhile are looking to close the gap between themselves and the play-offs. Both sides had a great October month but it was probably more important for the visitors. Prior to that run of results Peter Jackson's team had recorded only one win. Last season was a poor one for Lincoln but with Jackson in charge they stand a better chance this time around. A 1-0 home defeat against Port Vale however shows that the Imps may not have clicked just yet despite their good month.

If Lincoln are to return to winning ways tomorrow they will need to stop a formidable Darlington record. Quakers have only lost twice since 2000 against the Imps and last season they failed to score against Dave Penney's men. Jackson is not helped by the absence of Lenell John-Lewis and midfielder Stefan Oakes. The pair are both highly doubtful for the game at the Arena.

Darlington's match against Lincoln starts at 3pm.