DARLINGTON have signed two players ahead of tomorrow’s game with Gloucester City.

They have confirmed the signing of Lewis Walker on a month’s loan from Derby County and goalkeeper Ed Wilczynski on a permanent basis from Bishop Auckland.

Both will be in the squad for the contest at Blackwell Meadows with manager Martin Gray looking for a reaction to last week’s defeat to Nuneaton Town, when the opposition scored an injury-time winner.

Walker has good pedigree as he is the son of Des Walker, the former England international defender who played for Nottingham Forest, Sampdoria and Sheffield Wednesday.

Unlike his famous father, Lewis is a forward and joined Derby on a two-and-a-half year deal 12 months ago from Ilkeston.

“I’ve spoken to people at Derby and they speak highly of him,” said Gray.

Walker had a trial with Chelsea last season, while his older brother, Tyler, is on loan at Stevenage from Nottingham Forest.

Wilczynski has been Bishop’s first-choice keeper this season, making 27 appearances, having returned to the club in September from AFC Fylde. He was previously on loan at Bishop last season from Huddersfield Town, where he was in the youth system.

“He’s a young boy, was at Huddersfield for a few years and we’ve had him watched three or four times this year,” said Gray. “He’s the best around at that level and we need competition.”

Gray would not confirm if Wilczynski’s arrival would signal a change between the sticks, where Peter Jameson is the current No. 1.

In the aftermath of last week’s defeat the manager made it clear that he would bring in fresh blood and he had hoped to make another signing, but it fell through yesterday when the target chose to move elsewhere.