Darlington head for non-league Altrincham today as firm favourites to win their second-round FA Cup clash.

But Tommy Taylor's men are well aware they will have to treat with respect a side two divisions below them in the UniBond Premier.

This season Altrincham have won 13 of 16 home league and cup matches, scoring scoring 33 goals.

In comparison, Darlington's solitary win away from Feethams was almost four months ago and the Quakers have notched just 11 goals in 12 fixtures on opposition soil, conceding 27.

Altrincham hold football's second best giant-killing record with 17 scalps to their name. Also, Quakers will be without the spine of the team as Barry Conlon and Mark Ford are suspended and Gary Caldwell, on loan from Newcastle, is Cup-tied.

The eyes of the nation will be on the game as the Match of the Day cameras will in attendance, no doubt hoping to capture a Cup shock.

The presence of the cameras means a 1pm kick off as the Moss Lane floodlights are not up to scratch for TV coverage.

Darlington may be the bookies' favourites but Taylor has told his men to beware of becoming Altrincham's latest Cup victims.

He watched Altrincham's midweek extra-time win in the FA Trophy against Accrington Stanley and said: "They did very well, but I hope they're knackered now.

"We've just got to take it as it comes and it'll be a hard game, simple as that.

"We've been treating them in the same way we would a League team. They've got two quick people up front, two big centre-halfs, one of the midfielders is very mobile, the right-winger won all of his headers.

"They worked hard and they're a big, physical side who like to play it very long."

The two quick people up front are Lee Poland and Rod Thornley, the latter having scored in all four rounds so far.

Thornley is Manchester United and England's chief masseur, but with these being relatively troubled times for the English champions, Sir Alex Ferguson has this week banned the professional body soother from speaking to the press, as insurance against uncovering anything which would go against the Old Trafford grain.

Assuming Thornley would have kept David Beckham's hygiene regime to himself, one can assume he would have spoken of his desire to continue his excellent record this season which has seen him score on 21 occasions - although nine of those have been from the penalty spot.

During Altrincham's 3-1 penalty shoot-out win over Accrington Stanley on Tuesday, Thornley saw his spot-kick saved, but it was keeper Stuart Coburn who stole the limelight.

He saved two penalties as well as another in normal time to win the man-of-the-match award.

He had trials with Crystal Palace and Leicester last season but nothing came of it and he admits it was hard to take.

"For the rest of the season I wasn't on top form as I had a lot on my mind," he said.

"Every game I was playing I was being told that someone was watching me. You start to believe it and start to believe how good you are.

"In the end it was getting on my nerves and affecting my game. It was no good for me and no good for the club.

"Now if I am told somebody is watching me I just put it out of my mind and concentrate on doing my best for Altrincham.

''We have to focus on Darlington as this is our biggest game for a long time.

"They are a good, strong team but ours is a tight ground and the fans will be right on their backs."

Next to Yeovil, Altrincham have the best record of all the non-league clubs still in the Cup.

They have fought some famous battles over the years against the likes of Tottenham, Liverpool and Everton and reached the fourth round in 1986.

If Darlington are sent packing, they would be Altrincham's 17th League scalp.

It's possible to draw strong comparisons with the occasion Darlington were drawn to play Altrincham in the second round in December 1983, when they were held to a 0-0 draw at Feethams by the non-league outfit.

Then, as now, Altrincham had a proud record against league sides and were very confident of beating Quakers in the replay, especially so because Altrincham had never been beaten on home soil by a professional club.

Thankfully for Darlington, goals from Kevin Todd and Alan Walsh ensured Quakers became the first team to manage that feat, one which they'll be hoping to repeat today.

A crowd of approaching 4,000 is expected this afternoon with the prospect of a money-spinning tie in the third round at stake.

* Taylor has made an inquiry about Sunderland's Michael Proctor, who scored against Darlington for York last week.

The young striker is on loan at Bootham Cresent for the remainder of the season, but if the Black Cats were to accept a transfer offer the loan would be cancelled immediately.

"We rang Sunderland up to see how much they wanted for him," explained Taylor, who already has Danny Mellanby, Barry Conlon, Dan Chillingworth, Kirk Jackson, Ian Clark and Glenn Naylor who can all play up-front. Clint Marcelle is yet to leave the club.

"They told us to put an offer in because there are three other clubs who want him."

Read more about the Quakers here.