‘Young Quakers relish test against best sides’ (From The Northern Echo)

‘Young Quakers relish test against best sides’

8:00am Saturday 4th February 2012 in Darlington FC News By Craig Stoddart, Deputy Sports Editor

Craig Liddle believes Darlington's youngsters relish the challenge of facing the division's best sides, hence some of their recent performances against the promotion-chasers.

Quakers have won only one of their last ten games, but some of their displays have been deserving of more than the defeats and draws they have recorded.

They were not outplayed against top ten sides Fleetwood, Gateshead home and away, Cambridge, Wrexham and last week drew with fourth-placed York City.

It is form they hope to take into a tough run of fixtures this month, starting with today's trip to play-off hopefuls Mansfield Town - weather permitting.

The match is subject to a 9.30am pitch inspection, though the covers have been on at Field Mill since Monday.

After today, in February Quakers will play half of the current top six - Wrexham, Luton, Southport - as well as lowly Alfreton.

"It's another difficult game against another team in the play-offs. They beat us at home, so we will have to be at our best if we're going to get something from the game," warned Liddle, who will give starts to new signings Clark Keltie and Liam Bagnall.

"If you look at this game and the rest of the fixtures in this run, there's some really tough matches coming up against the top teams, so we're going to be tested.

"The beauty for me is that we tend to play better against the better sides. Hopefully, we can again step up to the plate and put a performance in.

"I think the youngsters relish the challenge of playing against the better sides.

"I drum into them from an early age that they're better off playing well against the better sides because that's where you want to be in your career, you want to play at the best level you can.

"We've done okay lately, even though we've not had the results."

Darlington are 17th, two points above the relegation zone, so points are crucial.

A win today would represent a first on the road since victory at Ebbsfleet in November, having since lost four in six away from home.

Last time out they lost 3-2 at second-bottom Hayes & Yeading while Quakers' previous away trip was the 3-0 loss at Barrow.

Liddle said: "In the last two away games we haven't played as well as we should've done so we need to get the mentality right so that when we go away from home we are disciplined and hard to beat.

"We couldn't have asked for a worst start at Hayes. To be 2-0 down away from home after six minutes, it's going to take a miracle to get back you into the game.

"At Mansfield we need to start well, especially for the younger lads to give them that confidence they need if we're going to get something from the game."

Today's game is Darlington's first at Field Mill since winning the FA Trophy, but each team has since undergone major changes.

As well as both clubs changing manager, of the 22 players that started at Wembley only five are likely to start today: Aaron Brown and Marc Bridge-Wilkinson for Quakers, Alan Marriott, Adam Murray and Adam Smith for the Stags.

Ninth-placed Mansfield have lost only one in their last 12 games while striker Matt Green is the division's fourth top scorer with 15.

Quakers' interim boss said: "They've got Ben Hutchinson, who used to be at Middlesbrough, and Matt Green who's got a lot of goals and they've also just signed a lad called Matt Rhead from Corby Town, a big 6ft 4in centre-forward.

"So they've got a lot of firepower, which means we will have to defend well, not just as a back-four but as a team.

"When we do get the ball we've got to be confident with it, we've got to keep it to take the pressure off, because we've got enough quality to hurt teams.

"We'll have to defend really well and then look to stamp our authority."

Although there was silverware up for grabs when the teams met last May, Liddle has already received a trophy this week having been recognised for his efforts during Quakers' crisis.

At the final of the Darlington Sports Winners' Scheme, he was presented with a prize, and he said: "I thought I was going to hand out some awards so it was a pleasant surprise to get one myself.

"It was a total surprise and it's nice when you get home late at night, you sit and have a cup and reflect on it.

"It was a nice gesture and it's great that I'm getting appreciated, but it's the players as well who deserve praise, for what we're trying to do."

* Barrow joint-boss Darren Sheridan was last night reported to have been suspended by the club while it investigates an allegation made to the board of directors.