DARLINGTON will probably be without their leading scorer, Andrew Nelson, when they host Chester at Blackwell Meadows this evening.

The former Sunderland player, who has scored four times for Quakers this season, limped out of the action in the first half at Farsley on Saturday and was replaced by Jack Maskell.

Darlington assistant manager, Terry Mitchell, said: “It doesn’t look good. I spoke to him after the game and he said that he’d jarred his knee. It didn’t sound great, so the Chester game might be too early for him. We’ll find out more when it’s settled down.”

Maskell, who has been on the bench for the last two matches, could start the game alongside Cedric Main as Quakers look for a second successive victory after defeating Farsley 2-0 to move them up two places in the table to 16th.

“Teams are beating each other, there’s nobody really standing out at the moment,” said Mitchell. “Chester had a really good win last Saturday, so it should be a really good game because they’re a good footballing side.

“We want to win our home games and get a point away to be on the right track. We were very good against Warrington in our last home game, but we were disappointing in the second half and conceded two goals. We have to make sure that we put the first-half performance together over 90 minutes.”

Chester are currently in 11th place in the National League North table, and enjoyed a welcome 3-0 home win over Hereford at the weekend, which was their first league victory since September.

Quakers won the corresponding game 3-2 last season, which was a rare win under Josh Gowling, the manager at the time.

Spennymoor Town are also in action this evening, and they face a stiff test as they league leaders Scunthorpe United at the Brewery Field.

Moors are currently 12th in the table, three points off the play-off positions, after drawing 1-1 at Needham Market at the weekend. Scunthorpe have won four of their seven away matches so far this term, and are ahead of Chorley at the top of the table on goal difference.

Scarborough Athletic, sitting 14th after the weekend games, head to tenth-placed Buxton tonight.

In the Northern Premier, Morpeth Town host Mickleover while Whitby Town are at home to a Gainsborough side that are the lowest-ranked side still left in the FA Cup, having been handed a second-round game against Harrogate Town.