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Cummins aware fight for places will be hot
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.
9:28am Thursday 8th May 2008
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CommentPosted by: Peter, Darlington on 6:37pm Thu 8 May 08
Is that it?
Talk about hold the front page. This is the most important game for Darlo in eight years. Do any 'once a year supporters' know about this game on Saturday. Not via our LOCAL paper they don't!
Is that it?
Talk about hold the front page. This is the most important game for Darlo in eight years. Do any 'once a year supporters' know about this game on Saturday. Not via our LOCAL paper they don't!
Posted by: jackhacket, darlington on 11:45pm Thu 8 May 08
as a reader of the echo i am distgusted with the amount or lack of ammount of coverage for the play off on saturday .the clubs most important fix in years and u dribble bits out . your just like radio tees all 4 boro . no doubt ull cram it all in on sat morning . which 4 me is way to late . and u dare call your self a darlington paper . shame on u echo shame shame
as a reader of the echo i am distgusted with the amount or lack of ammount of coverage for the play off on saturday .the clubs most important fix in years and u dribble bits out . your just like radio tees all 4 boro . no doubt ull cram it all in on sat morning . which 4 me is way to late . and u dare call your self a darlington paper . shame on u echo shame shame
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