Match Preview

Tomorrow Darlaston Town return to the Paycare Stadium for their first home game of 2024, when they welcome eighth placed Uttoxeter Town, for as always a very important league fixture, especially in the second half of the season because all teams will want to beat the ones around them.

The clubs met on opening day of the season as they have done for the previous two seasons, the game ending in a 1-1 draw, a hugely competitive game burst into life when Darlaston substitute Kalo Harrison scored his first goal for the club in the 80th minute. Skipper Alex Foreshaw scored an own-goal in the 88th minute to equalise for Uttoxeter Town who had Harry Clarke sent off for his second yellow card in the 90th minute.

Due the weather and several postponements Uttoxeter have not played a league fixture for three weeks and their last three games all played in December produced two losses and a big win.

Firstly, a mid-week trip to promotion chasing Highgate United, resulted in losing 2-1 loss, Jake Avery scoring Uttoxeter’s goal. The following Saturday Uttoxeter had a much shorter journey to Whitchurch Alport where they suffered heartbreak, losing to a 94th minute winner from Whitchurch substitute Callum Knowles. In their last game, played on Saturday 23rd December Uttoxeter entertained bottom club Bewdley Town A great performance produced a convincing 6-0 win, the goals were shared around the team with six individual goal-scorers, Thomas Thornley opened the scoring in the 2nd minute quickly followed by Jack Hassel in the 6th minute. Jake Avery made it 3-0 just before half-time. Second half goals from Mikey Conlan, Ben Price and Ethan Taylor scored from the substitutes bench to give Uttoxeter their largest win of the season.

Dangermen so far this season for Uttoxeter are centre forward Mikey Conlan who has scored nine goals in eighteen starts, followed by five from Matt Redshaw and Keiran Wilde, Paul Hughes and Joel Dyche are both on four each.

Darlaston meanwhile, after their win at Tividale last week, have trained well with two hard sessions and it would appear that the only injury concern going into tomorrow’s fixture is midfielder Jake Pearson who suffered a horrific face injury last week at Tividale after coming on as substitute. Some players are carrying knocks and strains and may require fitness tests before being named in tomorrow’s playing squad.

Gates open at 1.00 p.m. as usual.

Admission – Adults £7.00, Concessions £5.00, Children under 10 FREE

Programme - £2.00 – available at the gate.

A pre-match team sheet will be produced and available in the bar.

We hope as many supporters as possible come along to support Dean Gill and his squad tomorrow afternoon, in what is another really important fixture.