Darlington face Scarborough Athletic at Blackwell Meadows, Darlington, Durham on Saturday, Dec 26 at 4:00 PM in a basement battle that neither side can afford to lose. Both clubs are deep in the relegation picture in the National League – North, and defeat here could prove costly come the end of the season.

Darlington come into this fixture struggling badly (0W 3L in last 5). Scarborough Athletic, meanwhile, arrive out of form (0W 2L recently) — actually the better-performing side in recent weeks.

In 10 previous meetings, Darlington lead 4–6 with 0 draws. Their last encounter ended in Scarborough Athletic won 2–1. These two tend to produce goals — averaging 2.6 per game in recent meetings.

Verdict: This looks an evenly matched contest. Home advantage gives Darlington a slight edge, but Scarborough Athletic are capable of causing problems. A draw would be a fair result.