Darlington have slipped to ninth and intend to end their winless run when they today travel to the team one place below them in the table, Ossett Town, and manager Martin Gray will be back on the bench.

Work commitments prevented him from attending Tuesday’s draw at Radcliffe Borough, a result which stretched Darlington’s run without a win to six league and cup matches.

Gray, though, is eager to point out that it is just over a month since Quakers started the season with two sterling performances against Warrington and Spennymoor, albeit the first being cut short due to an injury to the referee.

He said: “There’s not an awful lot to turn around, it’s about getting players back fit. That’s the first thing, once everybody is fit it’s proven how much better we’ve been when we’ve had those players against Warrington and Spennymoor. We dominated those games.

“It only takes a couple of wins and we could be third or fourth off the top, that’s how tight it still. I have lots of confidence in this group of players and the staff that we will get over this spell.

“We’ll have one or two players back on Saturday with a bit of luck. We’re making good progress on that score so I’m hoping we’ll have few more to choose from.”

Terry Galbraith (broken toe), Amar Purewal and David Dowson (both hamstring) have both been sidelined of late, while Gray is hopeful of bringing new players in.

“We need to get a fully fit squad as well as improve certain aspects of what we want to do such as bringing players in,” he added.

“We’re still trying to do a bit of work in the transfer market. There might be somebody in for Saturday with a bit of luck, if not then they’ll definitely be in for Wednesday against Harrogate RA.

“I’ve been waiting on a few calls, plus I’ve been speaking to one or two of our local pro clubs to see if we can get one or two players out of them. They’re waiting to see if they can get their transfers first, until they get new players in they can’t let players go. It’s a waiting game, but we’ve got good contacts at these clubs so hopefully something will change.”

An engagement at a school in Bishop Auckland owing to his business, the Martin Gray Football Academy, meant that for the first time in his 111 matches at the helm Gray could not be at the match on Tuesday, which meant Brian Atkinson was in charge for the evening.

Given his professional approach to the role, Gray admits it was a tough choice, though he remained in contact with the Darlington dug-out throughout the second half and even ordered a tactical change.

Gray explained: “Part of the business means working in schools, it’s a huge commitment and sometimes we need to be there for certain functions. These functions only happen once or twice a year, but unfortunately it clashed with a midweek fixture which is the first time that has happened in two and a bit years.

“It was a very difficult decision. Your heart overrules your head and sometimes your head overrules your heart, it was a difficult situation to be in. I had to look at it from both points of view, but one thing I know is that I’ve got very good staff who I can trust.

“I was at ease with them and knew I could rely on them. I’d prepared the team, I spoke to them before they set off, I spoke to the staff at half-time and I spoke to the bench throughout the second half. It was my decision over the phone to change the formation, going to 3-4-3. I was in meetings a lot of the time, but I was on the phone to Brian all the time.

“That’s how we got through the evening and it’s the first time it’s happened in two years. The business is demanding and it’s expanding all the time, so is the football club and it’s a case of managing them both. Unfortunately there was a crossover on Tuesday, but it was the first time and hopefully the last.”