Darlington midfielder Richard Hodgson is enjoying a new lease of life at Feethams.

Hodgson, who was signed by manager Gary Bennett just before the start of the season, has started just one league game for Quakers but has caught the eye with impressive performances at Nottingham Forest and at Bradford City in the Worthington Cup. He set up goals in both those games, as well as the equaliser for Lee Nogan after coming on as a sub at Macclesfield last Friday.

And he might get another chance to shine today, as midfielder Glenn Naylor is serving a one-match ban for his dismissal at Cheltenham a fortnight ago.

"I was hoping to start against Macclesfield but I had to go on the bench," said Hodgson.

"But I thought I did well when I came on, just as I did against Bradford City. I hope I've done enough to persuade the manager to let me start on Saturday."

Hodgson, who hails from the Sunderland, has already played in more games for Quakers than any other club, even though he spent four years at Nottingham Forest.

"It's like having a new lease of life coming to Darlington," he said.

"When I first went to Forest, they told me that I was one of the best players in their youth set-up and there was a chance of a first-team place, but the staff were always changing.

"Frank Clark first signed me for Forest, but then he got the sack, and in the space of four years I had five managers and the backroom staff kept changing.

"It was more than one manager per season, which made it a bit hard to get myself noticed.

"There were a lot of senior players as well. I had problems breaking into the reserve line-up because Ian Woan and Alan Rogers were both ahead of me, so even if I was doing well in the youth team, there were always at least two players ahead of me.

"I wanted to leave Forest, but they wouldn't let me because they said they needed me for their Under-19 side."

Forest eventually released him in March, and former Forest and Middlesbrough player Brian Laws was quickly on the phone from Scunthorpe.

"He signed me on a non-contract basis on the Thursday, I trained on the Friday, then I played in the first team the following day. But I wasn't match fit - I hadn't played for three months - and their style of play was no good for me, they were just hitting long balls to the front men all the time.

"When the chance came to join Darlington I jumped at it because I see them as an up-and-coming club, plus it was an opportunity for me to return to the area."

And Hodgson, who celebrates his 21st birthday tomorrow, had the last laugh when he returned to the City Ground with Quakers last month when they pulled off a shock victory in the Worthington Cup.

"After we went a goal down I expected them to bombard us, but instead they let us back into the game.

"It was a great feeling to return to Forest and show them what I'm capable of."

But his delight turned to despair on Monday, when Quakers were turned over by Bradford City.

"It was very frustrating - what can you do when you're three goals down after nine minutes.

"Most of their goals were down to our mistakes, rather than well-created goals. But I'm sure that we'll bounce back against Carlisle."

l Bradford midfielder Gareth Whalley is adamant the Bantams will soon be rewarded for their belief that attacking football is the best way to secure a third term in the Premiership.

The 26-year-old scored twice in the two-legged Worthington Cup tie against Darlington which culminated on Monday night in an extraordinary 7-2 victory at Valley Parade