NEW SIGNING Ryan Noble is in line to make his Darlington debut at Droylsden today.

The striker arrived on Monday, but the 22-year-old, who has not signed a contract, was not eligible for the midweek FA Cup win over West Auckland Town.

Manager Martin Gray, however, is unlikely to give Noble a start just yet following Darlington’s unbeaten start to the season in which changes have been kept to a minimum.

Seven players have started all six league and cup fixtures, while Gary Brown, Leon Scott and Graeme Armsrong have missed only the 7-0 romp versus Kendal Town.

“He’s another player that can improve the squad,” explained Gray, who now has a raft of strikers at his disposal.

“We’ve done our homework on him and he’s a player than comes alive in the box, so hopefully he can finish off some of the chances we’ve been creating.”

Noble was with Burnley, then in the Championship, this time last year after signing a short-term contract at Turf Moor, but he was released at Christmas and ended the campaign with Gateshead.

He bolsters a strikeforce already including Armstrong, David Dowson, Amar Purewal, Liam Hatch and Nathan Fisher, although Fisher is on the transfer list.

Purewal has been sidelined with a hamstring strain and Gray says the striker is not quite ready to return.

His place has been taken by Stephen Thompson, who has not been at his best so far this season, though his influence was growing during the second half in midweek as he delivered a handful of dangerous crosses.

It was from deliveries into the penalty area that Darlington did the damage against West, with all three goals coming from corners.

“It’s nice to score from set-pieces because we’ve done a lot of work in training,” said Gray.

“Players like Adam Mitchell and Terry Galbraith deliver the ball very well. Its’ about putting the ball in good areas, variation in your delivery and attacking the ball.”

Gray was assistant manager to Dave Penney when Darlington visited Droylsden in the first round of the FA Cup when still a Football League club in November 2008.

The night is remembered for a lengthy delay midway through the second half when it was feared Hatch had suffered a broken neck, the striker laying prostrate on the turf for 35 minutes.

Play resumed after an ambulance arrived, but with Darlington down to ten men having used all of their substitutes they were unable to create an equaliser so lost 1-0 at the Butchers Arms Ground.

Droylsden, relegated last season, are ninth having won two and lost two of their opening four games.

Meanwhile, Darlington’s FA Cup tie with Blyth Spartans at Heritage Park has been arranged for Sunday, September 14.

The first round qualifyng tie, which shall kick-off at 3pm, cannot be played on the Saturday as landlords Bishop Auckland have a Cup game with Spennymoor Town.

Darlington’s defeat of West on Wednesday clinching the club £1,925 in prize money. Winners of the game on September 14 will receive £3,000.

Tickets will be £9 adults, £6 concessions and £4 children. Season tickets will not be valid.

Parking will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for a donation to the club.