DARLINGTON this evening face another side whose promotion hopes have suffered, though Wycombe are unable to blame a financial crisis.

Tonight’s game at The Northern Echo Darlington Arena was due to be played at the beginning of February, when Quakers were fifth and the Chairboys top of the table.

But since that match was postponed, due to a frozen pitch, both clubs have since gone into decline with Wycombe now fourth and with only one win their last nine games.

Their poor run is in contrast to earlier season when they remained undefeated until December, though Darlington went within seconds of ending that run two months earlier.

Only a penalty, scored in the eighth minute of injury time, cruelly denied Darlington a win they deserved.

But Wycombe are not alone.

On Saturday only one of the top 11 sides won and Quakers boss Dave Penney believes teams may be unable to handle the pressure.

He said: “If you look at Saturday’s results there’s nothing in it, nobody seems to want the automatic places or the play-off places. It makes our situation even more frustrating, if it wasn’t for administration we would be up there with a very good chance of promotion.

“Nobody’s form has been that good, they’ve all dipped.

Perhaps a little bit of fear is creeping in, a little bit of anxiety.

But we can go out and play with a bit of freedom, there’s no pressure on us.

“I’d say Rochdale are the best team we’ve played, and they got beat 4-0 at Bournemouth.

“Anybody can beat anybody in this division and I know everyone says that about every division but it is true about ours.”

Quakers have six games to go, five of which against sides going for promotion and it is a prospect Penney is looking forward to.

He said: “When we’re playing teams near the top it’s our chance to show that we can compete against them and we know we can.

“The best thing about our games is that there is something riding on just about every match.

“Wycombe, Bury and Brentford are all up there and they’ve all got to come here.

Away we’ve got Chesterfield, Rochdale and then Chester who are trying to stay up.”

Wycombe were without a game at the weekend as their opponents, Luton Town, were playing in the final of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.

So manager Peter Taylor carried out a spying mission at the Arena and saw Quakers draw 0-0 at home to Morecambe.

“It is maybe a slight advantage them not playing at the weekend,” added Penney.

“But they played last midweek and we didn’t.

“They’ve still got to travel up here and we had a free midweek last week so I don’t think them not playing will be a major factor.”