PUTTING an end to their nine-game winless run while simultaneously continuing an impressive Boxing Day record is Darlington’s aim today when York City head to Blackwell Meadows.

Quakers are unbeaten on December 26 since 2004, playing eight fixtures in that time and winning the last four.

Making it five in a row against the Bootham Crescent boys is atop Tommy Wright’s Christmas wish list as Darlington desperately need three points to halt their slide down the table.

They are 18th with 21 league games played, the halfway point of the campaign, and five places below York, but they took heart from last weekend’s 3-3 draw at Altrincham.

It was a good result given that the opposition are fourth and had won their previous five games, and elements of the performance were encouraging.

Romal Palmer had a promising debut in midfield, while Quakers’ attacking play saw them add another three goals to their tally - no team in the bottom half of the table has scored more than Darlington’s 31.

However, 22 of those goals have been away from home, whereas at Blackwell Wright’s side have netted only nine times in 12 games this season.

There have been few home comforts at a venue where they played their first match two years ago today, beating Halifax Town 3-2.

But they have won there only twice in their most recent 15 matches – including the final three of last season – and Wright said: “We have scored a lot more away than we have at home, we need to make Blackwell a bit of a fortress again and we need to win a few fans back as well.

“Some of the stuff we’ve been playing, especially away from home, is really good.

“For the neutral and probably both sets of fans Saturday was a good game to watch. We left the ground frustrated but with a performance and we’ve got to give our home fans something to cheer about because the away fans get spoilt with the goals.

“Saturday was an end-to-end game, we spoil the fans that follow us away. Whether or not it’s the atmosphere at Blackwell I don’t know, but we need to handle situations better to try and replicate what we’ve been doing away from home.”

Conceding goals again proved Darlington’s undoing – they’ve conceded at least two in each of their last six matches.

Liam Hughes is missed at the back, but he remains sidelined having dislocated a shoulder recently.

Wright admitted: “We were disappointed to draw on Saturday and that shows there are positives happening. We fancy ourselves to score goals, but we concede too many and that’s what’s shooting ourselves in the foot.

“My assistant manager [Alan White] played 500 league games and he was vocal. If he was marshalling the back-four on Saturday I don’t think the goals would’ve gone in.

“Defending is an art, you’ve got to communicate, you’ve got to pass people on, and we’re getting there. We’re a young team and I do think the hard work will come off.

“We work on things, we recreate scenarios from games where we know our shape might get exploited in wide areas.

“We are not taking what we’ve done on the training pitch into games in a pressure situation.

“We have kept clean sheets this year, we do know how to defend but we’re getting punished for every little mistake.”

Joe Wheatley should be available today after missing out on Saturday with a groin strain, while Simon Ainge may have fitness test after a hamstring issue.

Wright explained: “Wheats has every chance for Boxing Day, with Ainge if we were training before Boxing Day he would probably give it a go, but he will probably have to have a fitness test at best.

“With Liam it’s about getting movement back in his shoulder. He’s got an appointment late January just in case he needs it operating on.”