Cummins aware fight for places will be hot

9:28am Thursday 8th May 2008

DARLINGTON manager Dave Penney will have a few unhappy faces in his squad this weekend and midfielder Micky Cummins is hoping he isn't one of them.

Saturday's play-off semi-final with Rochdale will see Penney make changes from the side which won last weekend at Peterborough, a game in which Cummins scored while playing as a makeshift striker.

But he is not guaranteed a starting slot against Dale and neither are several others who played against the Posh.

With Steve Foster and Tommy Wright - both rested last weekend - expected to return and both Julian Joachim and Ryan Valentine recovered from injury, there will no doubt be some frustrated players among the Quakers ranks.

Ben Parker is also available following his one-match ban and Cummins, now with six goals to his name this season, admitted: "Everybody's been making a claim for a place in the first XI for the play-offs, but there's obviously going to be a few disappointed people on Saturday when the team is announced.

"Julian's back but can Neil Wainwright be dropped? He got an assist again on Saturday. I scored a goal but Tommy might be back on Saturday.

"There will be some disappointed people because we all want to play."

With Pawel Abbott unlikely to feature again this season, Quakers remain light on strikers but Cummins' goal on Saturday in a hard-working display as the lone front-man has confirmed his position as Penney's reserve forward.

"I let the defenders out of my pocket after the game," joked the former Middlesbrough midfielder.

"Looking at the squad and the injuries we've had, and the fact we've got big games coming up, the manager didn't want to risk Tommy as he was our only fit striker.

"He asked me to play up front and it was absolutely no problem, I'd do anything for the team.

"We had a game-plan, we stuck to it and it worked. We packed the midfield to stop them playing through the middle, which meant they had to go a bit more direct.

"We worked hard and we haven't had that since we had a good spell at Christmas, so it's good to see that coming back at the right time."

Cummins was replaced as Quakers' only striker for the closing stages at Peterborough by Curtis Main, who became the club's youngest ever player, and Cummins can see a bright future for the 15-year-old.

"He's got bags of potential,"

said Cummins. "In the Easter holidays he came in for training and we were doing a bit of shooting practice. The gaffer asked him which foot he used and Curtis said both! That's great confidence for a 15-year-old.

"He's got the build, he's got broad shoulders and if he's willing to work hard and learn from Craig Liddle and Neil Maddison in the youth section then I'm sure he'll develop.

"But he's going to have to grow up fast. He's been playing schoolboy but this is a man's game where strikers can get bullied by centre-halfs. He's got a great future if he works hard."

■ Coaches will leave Park Place at 8.30am on Saturday, May 17, for Rochdale. The cost is £14 for members of the Supporters Club.

Anyone who is not a member will need to pay a further £5 for adults and £1.50 for children. All bookings must be paid for in advance.

Payment can be made this Saturday at the Supporters Club table in the Carling Bar before and after the game. A further opportunity for payment will be made before the trip to Rochdale, and more information on this will be made available soon.

Places on coaches can only be guaranteed by payment of the correct fare. No money will be taken on the day of the match.

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