After suffering two postponements in each of the last two weekends, Darlington are hoping their enforced midseason break comes to an end today at Bamber Bridge.

While Quakers have been on a good run – unbeaten in 11 league games – their momentum has ground to a halt having not played for three weeks, since a 1-1 draw at home to Clitheroe.

“We’re hoping the game’s on, we’re desperate for a match. It’s been three weeks now and we’re champing at the bit to play,” admitted manager Martin Gray, who has re-signed defender Paul Weldon.

“You don’t want to be negative, but we were on that good run and suddenly we haven’t played for a long time. You don’t plan for that and there’s not much you can do about it. We’ve just been unfortunate with the weather.

“All we can do is prepare as best we can and make sure players get over any niggles they’ve had.”

A combination of other teams’ matches also being postponed and rivals’ failure to take three points has limited the damage to Quakers’ promotion bid, although they have been overtaken at the top by Northwich, who now hold a one-point lead.

A fortnight ago Quakers’ match at Heritage Park against Lancaster City was postponed due to a water logged pitch, while last Saturday’s match at New Mills was frozen off (neither game has yet been rearranged), and on each occasion Gray arranged a training session.

They also trained on Wednesday evening this week, and Gray initiated some match scenarios for his rusty squad.

He said: “We had a practice match in training the other night, 11-a-side, 90 minutes. We do everything with a purpose, I’d never say let’s play a game for the sake of it, so it was split into sections and the players were given situations.

“They were given scenarios, told they’re 2-0 down, this is how I want you to play. Or, it’s 1-1 with ten minutes to go, this is how I want you to play.

“The players needed a game. They’re very fit, they look after themselves so I’ve no problems there, but we’re desperate to play on Saturday.”

Darlington will hope such scenarios will not be enacted this afternoon away to a team that have won their last five league games, including a 6-1 win at Spennymoor Town.

“It’ll be as tough a challenge as we’ll have had this season,” said Gray. “People seem to have forgotten that they got to the play-offs last season and since then they’ve signed a few good players.

“They’re not as high in the table as they’d like to be, but they’re on a winning run and they put six past Spennymoor.”

Weldon has overcome a cruciate knee injury sustained while playing for Durham City soon after leaving Darlington midway through last season.

Gray allowed the former Middlesbrough trainee to complete rehabilitation with Darlington and he could be involved today as Gary Brown, Chris Hunter and Liam Hatch are all suspended.

Gray added: “I’m delighted he’s got fit and is back with us. He’s a great lad, his attitude is spot on, he wants to work, he wants to improve and he’s exactly what a manager wants.

“He’s in the squad for Saturday, but the plan is for him to go out on loan and get some games to get him fit.”

The timing of the three suspensions for a tough encounter are frustrating to Gray, who had hoped Hunter would serve his one-match ban at lowly New Mills.

The manager, though, believes he has a strong squad. He said: “Once everyone is fit and available we’ll have not just a strong team, but a strong bench to. There might be people disappointed not to get in the squad.

“We’ve got the young lads like Adam Cocks and Matty Lovegreen who are in and around the squad when we need them and we know we can rely on them, but on Saturday we’ve got a few suspensions which we’ll have to deal with.”