It’s four weeks since Darlington caused one of the upsets of the first round, beating League 1 Swindon away from home. In this congested season a gap this size feels huge.
For the first time it gives me, a casual observer of teams I don’t usually follow, the chance to get a sense of form. For Darlington things seem pretty straight forward. Five matches played, with both their wins coming away from Blackwell Meadows. So whilst Bristol is further than they will have travelled so far this season in National League North, a division which confusingly has Gloucester City sitting top, perhaps ‘no place like home’ does not bring an advantage? With Rovers struggling for wins anywhere, tomorrow’s 1:30 kick off is certainly one of the more interesting this weekend.
For Darlington manager Alun Armstrong it’s a new experience, as he told the Northern Echo:
“I’ve been at this stage as a player and as an underdog – I got to the third round with Stockport against Everton, scored, but we lost 3-2 in the last minute,” he said.
“As a manager, it’s something special when you get a group of players through to the second round. It does feel different, you take a bit more satisfaction from it than you do as a player. I just need to pick a team that will get us the right result on Sunday. I’m under a little bit of pressure to pick the right team because there are a few places available at the moment.”
If we’re talking significant goals in Armstrong’s career, it’s worth revisiting his playing CV at this point. He scored for Ipswich in a 1-0 Uefa Cup third-round win against Inter Milan at Portman Road, and the penalty converted as George Burley’s side lost the return leg 4-1. A product of the Newcastle academy, he played in the same team as Paul Gascoigne and Juninho at Middlesbrough.
One of those in contention for the Bristol Rovers match is Nicky Hunt, a defender with vast experience including time playing for Bolton in the Premier League. Hunt has missed much of November after a head injury near the end of a match against Boston. At the time the feared severity was such that the game was halted for around half an hour, and with just minutes left to play, ultimately abandoned with Darlington 2-nil down.
Hunt was a key figure in the Swindon victory. Even if he doesn’t make it onto the pitch this weekend, his recovery must surely provide a boost to his teammates.
The manager fully understands how another victory in the Cup would mean a lot to all involved with fan-run Darlington, a support which has used Crowdfunding to cover the costs of a hotel for the team for both the Swindon and Bristol matches.
“There are a few non-league clubs left in the competition and we just want to be one of those clubs that get through. It would be massive if we did – for the town, the fans who own the club and everyone associated with it.”
Darlington have every right to believe a second headline-making victory is achievable. Bristol Rovers sit in the League 1 relegation zone. Paul Tisdale looks a good appointment but he has only been in charge for two matches, a loss away at Swindon and a draw at bottom side Wigan. This will be his first game at home and to be on the wrong end of an FA Cup news story would complete a tricky first week in the job.
Two of their three Quarter Final appearances in the FA Cup came in the 1950s. The other was in 2008. Their cup claim to fame is becoming the first Division 3 (League 1) team to win away at a Premier League ground (one of those ‘record begin in 1992’ statistics). They beat Derby County during the season the Rams secured the lowest points total in the Premier League era, so seemingly nothing could go right at Pride Park.
The closest Bristol Rovers have come to top division football was back in the 1950s with a sixth place finish in the second division. Five years ago they had dropped out of the Football League although this absence lasted just the one season.
Glory Hunting 