Darlington aim to bring in two players this week after lodging their interest in a pair of forwards presently at fellow Northern League clubs.

Durham City's Stephen Thompson and Jamie Owens of Billingham Town are both on Martin Gray's radar having unloaded Jamie Clarke and Danny Mellanby.

Both have returned to the clubs from which they joined Quakers in pre-season.

Clarke is back at Whitby Town in the Evo-Stik Premier League, though he did not play in their 4-3 defeat at Fylde on Saturday, while Mellanby was an unused sub in Newton Aycliffe's 2-0 defeat at Spennymoor Town.

Thompson, who started his career at Middlesbrough, was sent off in Durham's 2-1 home defeat to Billingham Synthonia on Saturday.

He is under contract so Durham are entitled to a fee, but Gray has refuted claims that surfaced on the internet last week which suggested Darlington had offered £20,000.

"It's absolutely garbage," he said. "We haven't got £20,000 to spend.

"I haven't made a bid and there has been no official bid made at all.

"We are interested in many players within the league and we are always looking to improve our club. Just like any manager I am looking all the time."

Darlington have submitted seven days' notice of approach for Owens who was his club's leading scorer last season.

Quakers are in action on Wednesday at Guisborough Town while they face Consett on Saturday in the first of three successive games at Heritage Park.

Newton Ayliffe visit on September 12 with Billingham Town the opposition on the 15th.

The Billingham game has been brought forward from March as both clubs had a free weekend.