TOMMY WRIGHT has explained his decision-making process behind Saturday’s changes to the Darlington line-up and switch in formation to 3-4-3.

He has tried various formations and line-ups in his nine games at the helm, but without much success, Saturday seeing Darlington defeated 2-1 by York City.

It was Wright’s seventh loss so far, but given the team’s poor form before his appointment – Quakers were 18th with one win in 13 games – he felt justified in trying something new.

Captain Phil Turnbull was the most notable absentee, the midfielder remaining as an unused sub, while Leon Scott and Josh Gillies also made way from the team that lost 3-0 at Harrogate Town on New Year’s Day.

They were replaced in the starting XI by Terry Galbraith, Greg Mills and Harvey Saunders and Wright explained: “Today was the 24th game of the season and we’ve won six.

“This group of players has played 24 games and won six – do you keep playing the same team every week and hope it gets better, or do you try something new?

“If I dropped Joe Wheatley I’d expect a knock on the door. I spoke to Phil Turnbull about it and he said he thought he would’ve been dropped a couple of weeks ago.

“He wants to play, he’s gutted he’s not playing, but we’ve got to pick a team that is looking sharp in training, that is doing the business on the pitch, and with Josh, if you’re not scoring goals – I know better than anybody – you come out of the team.”

On the switch in formation, which some fans read as 4-4-2, the manager said: “That’s the second time we’ve lined up 3-4-3, the other time was Tamworth and I think those two games have been our best performances.

“So I think we’re going to stick with that and we’re going to perfect what we have got through the thirds.

“Players like Luke Trotman are being missed, because he adds a little bit more attacking threat.”

Trotman, who played as a right wingback for Wright at Nuneaton, has been injured with a hamstring strain, but came through training successfully last Thursday so could be in line for a recall on Wednesday against Salford City.

Saturday’s game saw Martin Gray’s return to Blackwell Meadows as manager of York, three months after resigning from his position at Darlington, with whom he spent over five years in the dugout.

It was a role reversal as a year ago Wright, while manager of Nuneaton Town, won at Blackwell Meadows, and he said: “I came back as an opposing manager last year and was up against him. We won 2-1, last year Dave Penney was the assistant at Guiseley and I beat him 6-1, which was really awkward because I’ve got so much respect for the bloke.

“Today, I don’t think we deserved to lose that game of football, but if you don’t take your chances you give yourself a mountain to climb.”