DARLINGTON are faced with squeezing eight games into March because the authorities would not allow them to play the re-arranged game with Chester in April. Quakers wanted to delay the twice-postponed game until late in the campaign, but manager Dave Penney has revealed that the powers that be said no. Darlington have yet to play Chester. The away game is on Easter Saturday, while the home game was postponed in December and then again last week, both times because of a frozen pitch. It is the only home fixture lost to the weather this season. “They wanted us to fit it in as soon as possible because they don’t want us to play the home and away games against the same opposition too close together,” said Penney. But it’s far from ideal and gives the calendar a distorted look. Darlington must now play twice as many games in March as in April, where the only games will be on the four Saturdays. Instead, they must host Chester on March 4, so have games on the 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 22, 24 and 29. Penney went into yesterday’s game at Bury with major suspensions and injury worries and now his promotion-chasing squad risk further problems because of the hectic schedule. Meanwhile, striker Richie Foran won’t be fit for another couple of weeks. The on-loan Southend man has been badly missed and there were hopes his hamstring would recover in time for him to play yesterday. “It was a bad one,” said Penney. “The injury is not responding as quickly as we had hoped.” | 
