DARLINGTON are back at The Northern Echo Arena tomorrow evening for their second game at the venue inside four days, with manager Martin Gray demanding a much improved performance.

While Saturday’s showing was merely a friendly, against a Newcastle United XI, defensive frailties led to a 5-1 defeat and frustrated Quakers’ demanding boss.

He was scathing in his post-match assessment at the Arena and today described his team’s performance as unacceptable, though excused defenders Gary Brown and Kevin Burgess.

Quakers take on a Sunderland XI tomorrow (7:30pm) and Gray said: “I want a big improvement in performance. Saturday was so disappointing.

“It’s alright saying that it’s only pre-season, but conceding five goals and the way we conceded them was not acceptable.

“Our two centre-backs kept the scoreline down to five. It’s got to be better as a team.

“The players were told at half-time and they were told again at full-time. I won’t accept that type of performance.”

Saturday’s 2,625 attendance was at least cause for relief – the club’s highest gate since January 2012, a 2-2 draw with York City.

“If there was a positive out of the game it was the players’ fitness will have benefitted and we had really great support from the fans.

“We’re grateful for that and I hope they come again on Tuesday and hopefully this time my team will put on a better performance for them.”

Phil Turnbull, man of the match on Saturday, plays his final game of pre-season before beginning a holiday which means he will miss the trip to face former club Gateshead on Friday while there will be no Chris Hunter due to injury.

He undergoes a minor operation on his right knee to mend a small cartilage tear, but is expected to return in August. The defender misses the first two matches of the season due to suspension.

Gray will have another look at trialist right-back Harrison Scott.

Sunderland, whose first team play on Wednesday at Hartlepool United, will select a youthful team with youngsters such as Tom Robson, Rees Greenwood, George Honeyman and Lynden Gooch involved.