Lee Thorpe has made a surprise return to the line-up for Darlington's game at home to Macclesfield Town this afternoon.

The striker was not expected to return for at least a week due to groin trouble but caretaker manager Craig Liddle has been able to name him among an otherwise unchanged line-up.

In the stand at The Northern Echo Arena is ex-Middlesbrough and Quakers ace Craig Hignett who is believed to be interested in the hot seat vacated by Colin Todd last week. With Hignett is another former Boro player, Gary Pallister.

In the Macclesfield side John Rooney, younger brother of the Manchester United striker.

Darlington (4-4-2): Hoult; Kane, Foster, Miller, J Smith; Devitt, G Smith, Groves, Bennett; Gall, Thorpe. Subs: Liversedge (gk), Arnison, Plummer, Bains, Dowson, Bains, Main Macclesfield (4-4-2): Brain; Reid, Bencherif, Brown, Tremarco; Rooney, Bell, Bolland, Daniel; Sinclair, Wright. Subs: Veiga (gk), Sappleton, Brisley, Reed, Thomas, Lowe, Tipton Referee: Craig Pawson (Sheffield)