DARLINGTON striker Barry Conlon is ready to put his nightmare penalty miss behind him against his old employers Southend United this afternoon.

In the Quakers' FA Cup third-round draw with Peterborough on Tuesday night, Conlon fired a spot-kick high over the bar in the first half.

But despite the Irishman's disappointment at missing his second penalty of the season, he has indicated he will not be afraid to step up and take another should the need arise.

And Conlon, who had seen teammate Brian Atkinson miss one just seconds before, said: "The gaffer has told me to get up and take another one. I don't know whether he was joking but I want to take another one.

"The manager said after the match that he wanted Mark Ford to take it, but Mark didn't and I did.

"Fordy has also missed a penalty this season, so it's just about getting up and taking one again.

"I am confident I will be able to put another one away, and if I am allowed to take one it would be nice to do it against Southend."

Conlon's penalty, which resembled Chris Waddle's dreadful kick for England in the World Cup semi-final with Germany in 1990, is something he is hoping to put to the back of his mind.

The 23-year-old, who moved to Feethams in the summer after a spell with York City, said he knew it was going over as soon as his foot connected with the ball.

But the former Manchester City man insists that the wonder-goal he scored against the Posh in the second half helped him quickly to overcome his penalty miss.

And when the Third Division clash with Southend kicks-off this afternoon he is convinced that Tommy Taylor's side can turn over the Shrimpers.

Conlon, who has scored seven goals since arriving at Darlington, is also predicting that his front-line partnership with Danny Mellanby will blossom once again.

"At the start of the season me and Danny were doing well together," said the Dubliner. "But then Danny suffered a bad knee injury.

"Then I had a couple of suspensions, so the Peterborough match was our first together for quite some time.

"We did OK on Tuesday but we know that we can get better and hopefully we will be able to show the same type of form that we were beginning to show at the start of the season."

Darlington boss Taylor, who has doubts over Atkinson (knee) and Richard Hodgson (ankle), believes Conlon could prove the difference between the two sides today and is hoping his giant top-scorer receives a barrage of abuse from his former fans who travel to Feethams.

"I hope the Southend supporters give him as much stick as the York fans did a few weeks ago because that can only fire him up to do well," said Taylor, who has influential skipper Craig Liddle back in the squad after recovering from a broken leg.

The former Leyton Orient and Cambridge manager is happy with the mood in the Darlington camp despite blasting the players for throwing a two-goal lead away to Second Division Peterborough.

Victory in the replay on Monday night will set up a glamour tie with Premiership neighbours Newcastle United.

But Taylor wants to put those thoughts to the back of the players' minds.

He said: "It's a League game against Southend first and that's what we must concentrate on."

* Darlington striker Kirk Jackson has signed for Stevenage in a £10,000 deal

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