DAVID HODGSON will this afternoon tell Barry Conlon and Neil Wainwright to continue where they left off and end Darlington's drought in front of goal.

Second-bottom Quakers head to Kidderminster Harriers without a win in six games.

And with just one goal scored during that time, Hodgson's goal-shy players - four points adrift of the third-bottom club - are doing themselves no favours in their battle to beat the drop.

Their last win came in November, when goals from Conlon, Wainwright and on-loan Craig James secured a 3-0 victory over York City.

A week earlier, Conlon and Wainwright claimed a goal each in the 2-2 draw at home to Scunthorpe, a game which also saw Conlon sent off.

It was the big Irishman's subsequent three-match ban which brought their partnership - and a goal-glut by Quakers' standards - to a temporary end.

Hodgson moved quickly to replace six-goal top scorer Conlon with the signing of Bristol City striker Lee Matthews on loan for a month. But one goal in six appearances was hardly the return Hodgson had been hoping for from the Teessider.

The last three games have seen a host of chances squandered, despite Hodgson fielding a three-man attack, which included Matthews.

Today the manager will revert to the Conlon/Wainwright strike force after Matthews returned to Ashton Gate this week, following Craig James out of the door after the Sunderland full-back turned down the chance of a third month with Quakers.

Hodgson was last night boosted by the news that former Sunderland striker Craig Russell has offered his playing services without pay. Russell was released by Carlisle before Christmas and has been training with Quakers while he looks for a new club.

The Jarrow-born forward is keen to remain in the North-East and is reported to have rejected an offer from an unnamed Third Division club.

"In our circumstances it's great news," said Hodgson. "I'm a big Craig Russell fan and it's very good of him to help us out.''

Russell made 12 appearances on loan to Quakers from Manchester City in 2000. The 29-year-old goes straight into today's squad.

Chris Hughes and Joey Hutchinson both serve one-match bans this afternoon, while Quakers are already without injured duo Clark Keltie (ankle) and Andy Collett (shoulder) until February.

"There was a little spell for a couple of games where Baz and Wainy really clicked and scored a few goals for us," said Hodgson.

"Hopefully they can reform that kind of understanding tomorrow.

"It's not as if we haven't been able to create chances in front of goal because we have.

"For some reason we just haven't been able to put the ball in the back of the net, which has cost us on too many occasions."

Quakers' last five defeats have all came by the same 1-0 scoreline.

Hodgson added: "It's either fate or bad luck. If it's bad luck, then we're due some good luck soon.

"We can score goals all day in training but we need to start doing that when it counts on Saturday afternoon."

Not for the first time this season Quakers were made to pay for their woes in front of goal with a 1-0 home defeat at the hands of league leaders Hull City last week.

"I think it says a lot when we have a team like Hull making changes because they were worried about us," said Hodgson.

"I listened to their bench and they were very concerned in the first half hour that their players were pushing up too much.

"I'm just as confident we can get something tomorrow as I was before the Hull game last week."

Kidderminster were the first team to visit the Reynolds Arena in August, where they ruined Quakers' party with a 2-0 win.

Harriers were knocked out of the FA Cup 2-0 by Wolves in a third-round replay at Molineux on Tuesday. And boss Jan Molby, now in his second spell in charge at the Aggborough Stadium, believes this afternoon's clash is far more important than an FA Cup run, with his side just eight points clear of safety.

Harriers are boosted by the return of defender Lee Jenkins and midfielder Adam Murray.

Former Quakers striker John Williams will be on the bench for Harriers.