Tomorrow Darlaston Town welcomes fellow Midland Football League (MFL) Division One side Dudley Sports to The Paycare Ground for the club's third game of pre-season .

Darlaston so far have beaten Tipton Town 6-1 and earned a hard-fought 0-0 draw against much improved Stafford Town on Tuesday evening. The game was not dull and boring as the scoreline would suggest. Both teams had clear-cut chances which weren’t taken, but two fully committed sides gave no quarter. The game certainly gave both managers “food for thought”.

Dudley Sports, like Darlaston, were moved laterally from The West Midlands Regional Premier Division into the Midlands Football League Division One during the National League Structure (NLS) re-organisation at Steps 4-6 announced in May this year.

The clubs did not meet last season and have only met once since Darlaston returned to the Premier Division in March 2020 when Darlaston traveled to Dudley Sports’ Hillcrest Avenue ground and in the squad involved in that game, there were four players that will be more than likely involved in Dean Gill’s squad for tomorrow’s game, Leon Taylor who scored in the 8th minute, Liam Smith, Luke Charlton & Josh Jones who was on loan from Wolverhampton Casuals at the time recovering from an injury.

Both squads and team will have changed significantly in the 16 months, but in that time Darlaston have only played seven league games and two F.A.Vase games at the beginning of last season, that is the impact that Covid has had on non-league football.

Both managers will be looking to build their squads for the season which starts in four weeks’ time as managers are now starting to sign and register players for the forthcoming season. Big decisions will need to be made over the coming days and weeks as to the make-up of squads.

Entrance is Free.

As usual, the match will kick off at 3.00 p.m. Gates open at 1.30 p.m along with the bar which will be open until 2.45 p.m. when it will close until after the game and re-opening at 4.40 p.m. The “world’s best cobs” will be available for sale along with hot and cold drinks and alcoholic beverages.

Everyone entering the ground will need to register for Track & Trace and masks are to be worn at all times in the clubhouse, except when seated and service from the bar will be table service.

We hope to see you at the game.