WILL the real Darwen please stand up!

Frustrated Anchor Ground boss Steve Wilkes wants his side to shed their Jekyll and Hyde image and find the consistency to put them among the NWCL Division Two promotion fight.

Wilkes has seen his side beat the leagues top teams but drop vital points against those they should be beating.

He said: "It's very frustrating and we need to get some sort of consistency going. We've had good wins against the likes of Chadderton, Alsager and Squires Gate but then go and drop points against Holker Old Boys."

Wilkes, who saw his side slip to 12th place, added: "I still think we have a good chance of going up but we need to be there or thereabouts after the Christmas programme."

Darwen travel to sixth-place Squires Gate looking to complete a 'double' following their 3-2 victory at the Anchor Ground earlier in the season.

However, they will have to do so without keeper Lee Purvis who breaks 196 consecutive appearances for Darwen due to a weekend away with his girlfriend.

Wilkes has signed Kevin Baldwin from Morecambe as his replacement -- and he warned Purvis that he might not regain his number one spot.

He said: "Kevin comes highly regarded and if he does a good job he will play the week after. It's as simple as that."

Darwen will also be without suspended midfielder Lee Webb.