Matt Richards and Sammy Moore were cup-tied to loan clubs Brighton and Brentford at the weekend during the first round proper of the FA Cup. The Seagulls drew 1-1 at Cheltenham, while the Bees achieved the same scoreline at Luton.
Midfielder George O'Callaghan was given permission to play for Brighton but missed out as he was suffering from a sickness bug.
Central defender Ian Miller was not included in Darlington's 16 with the Blues not allowing the Quakers to use the former Bury Town man in the FA Cup.
All four players are due to end their loan spells at the beginning of January. Striker Jordan Rhodes, a loan target of Terry Butcher's Bees and a number of other lower league clubs, was cup-tied during his recent spell with Oxford United.