DARLINGTON manager Martin Gray includes a new signing in his squad for tonight’s game at Workington.

Gray has added to his options by landing 20-year-old left-winger Andrew Bell, who has just spent three years at Cardiff City. He was released by the Bluebirds in the summer.

“I’ve been monitoring him for a while,’’ said Gray.

“He was a part of our youth team under Craig Liddle, and then went to Cardiff. He played for us at Gateshead in a friendly in pre-season while at the time he was hoping that a professional club would come along.

“He has now decided to accept our offer and join us.”

Bell will travel with the squad to the match in Cumbria tonight, which Gray says will be a benchmark of the progress that Quakers need to make in order to challenge for promotion.

“This is a good, tough game for us,” said Gray. “Workington finished second in the table last season, just two points behind the champions, but then lost in the play-offs to Ilkeston.

“They will be toughest game of the four we’ve had so far, because I’m sure they’ll be challenging for promotion again.

“They will also be a benchmark of where we are ourselves at the moment, and what we have to do in order to reach that standard.

“We go there in good form and full of confidence. The performances in the last two matches have been exactly what I want. We must continue to play at a high tempo and work hard in every game.”

Winger Rob Youhill has recovered from an elbow injury and travels.

Quakers have been drawn at home to Hyde United in the first qualifying round of the FA Cup on September 12, in which there will be £3,000 in prize money at stake.

The draw means Quakers will playing Hyde on successive Saturdays, as they’re also due at Heritage Park on September 19th in the league.

Quakers have played Hyde in the cup before, in 1994 when they won 3-1 in the first round proper, a game that was played on a plastic pitch.