WANTED man Barry Conlon has been hailed as a 'true professional' by Darlington teammate Ian Clark, writes Paul Fraser.

Striker Conlon, without a goal since December, was jeered by sections of the Reynolds Arena crowd on Saturday when he was replaced 17 minutes from time in the win over Rochdale.

Northern Echo SPORT revealed on the morning before the game that Quakers boss David Hodgson was resigned to losing his top-scorer should the right offer come along.

And Clark conceded that Conlon should not have even been on the pitch after suffering with illness during the week building up to the weekend fixture.

"Obviously Baz is going to go if the club gets a good bid for him,'' said Clark. "It's hard for Baz because the transfer talk messes with his head, but he is a true professional. He comes in and gets on with the job regardless.

"I thought it (the fans response) was a bit harsh because Baz is not one of those lads who doesn't give his all.

"For him to have been off all week with tonsillitis and play 70 minutes or so in the pouring rain was tremendous.

"The fans were giving Baz a bit of stick but they didn't know he has been off.

"He has come in and given his all. He had to because there is nobody else. It's bound to turn for him and hopefully it will drop for him and he will score soon.''

Clark also heaped praise on Darlington's two older heads, Craig Liddle and Neil Maddison.

The thirty-somethings both gave strong displays against Dale, and Clark claims it is business as usual for the pair.

And he called for them to keep up the good work, saying: "I think there are only Baz, Lidds, Maddo and myself who have played more than 250, 300 League games in this squad. The rest are all young and don't have that much experience.

"Lidds and Maddo have been putting in good performances every week and they have not been getting the credit they deserve because we have not been winning.

"What was good about Saturday, though, was that there were good performances from everyone and that will give confidence to all of the young lads.''

It was Clark's cross from the left nine minutes from time that created the winner for impressive wing-back Chris Hughes.

That goal has put Darlington, who won for the first time in seven, just a point behind Southend United, who sit just one place above the drop-zone.

While Hughes celebrated his winner with the rest of the team, Clark ran off on his own and dived straight into one of the puddles on the pitch in joy.

And the goal-provider said: "It was a double tuck, swan dive! Seriously though, it was just pure relief after not getting the breaks. It may sound silly but hopefully it is a platform for us and in that sense it is just pure relief.

"The gaffer has come in and been brilliant.

"He has been terrific because he looks after everybody; right from the ones that don't play to the ones that do play. You would not believe we are a second bottom team with the team spirit we have."

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