INJURY-ravaged and demoralised Darlington tonight look to put Monday's FA Cup defeat behind them with a win at Cheltenham.

Darlington's third game in five days comes after the dream-destroying loss to Peterborough on Monday which ended hopes of playing Newcastle this Sunday in the FA Cup fourth round, while the previous two games saw Quakers twice throwaway two-goal leads against the Posh and then Southend.

Quakers must pick themselves up against a team who've lost just once at home in the League while Darlington have won just one away league match, and haven't tasted victory in the last six games.

However finding 11 fit players is a challenge in itself.

David Brightwell is ruled-out with a calf injury picked-up on Monday, Richard Hodgson faces a fitness test while Barry Conlon and Craig Liddle are both extremely doubtful.

Liddle was forced to leave the field on Monday with 20 minutes to play after injuring his Achilles on the same ankle which kept Liddle out for three months when he broke it in October.

Whilst admitting Darlington have serious injury problems, assistant manager Mick Tait believes Quakers have enough in reserve to compete with Cheltenham who will feature 6ft 5ins striker Julian Alsop, who has notched 21 this season.

"Brightwell looks as though he'll be out for three weeks," said Tait last night.

"Liddle took a whack on the ankle so it's a bit swollen now. He'd just been stood on, so it was already a bit weak and then he volleyed the ball 60 yards down the pitch.

"He might struggle for tomorrow night. If we told him he had to play he would, but we have to think about the long-term and not just one game.

"Craig's only just come back and even though it's a new injury he's got, it is related. There's still a little bit of weakness (in the ankle).

"But we've got Adam Reed and David McGurk who can play and Gary Pearson was excellent on Monday. We used him at the back because he's got a bit more pace than some other defenders."

With no recognised central defensive cover on the bench at Peterborough, Pearson played as an emergency central defender, but Darlington are struggling for forward cover.

Conlon's toe injury kept him out of the FA Cup clash, and although Ian Clark can play up-front, only Danny Mellanby from the senior squad's forward ranks is available.

Young Mark Sheeran doesn't have the physical presence or experience Conlon has, while Clint Marcelle looks to have as much chance of playing as George Reynolds does.

Conlon's absence on Monday was all too noticeable, and with the striker's availability in the balance, Tait admitted: "It's a fingers crossed job but we haven't ruled him out.

"Him not being there at Peterborough was the difference.

"We tried to frustrate them and keep the ball and it worked to an extent, the only part of our game which didn't work was in the final third where we didn't have enough shots and they kept playing five and ten yard passes.

"Barry wasn't there to hold the ball up and win headers."

Meanwhile, amid rumours Sunderland chairman Bob Murray was meeting George Reynolds at Feethams yesterday, Tait has denied Quakers are about to sign Black Cats forward Michael Proctor.

Although it's an open secret that Darlington want to sign the striker, currently on loan at York City, Tait says Quakers have to make a bid.

He said: "There's been no bid made. Sunderland haven't said how much they want, they've just left it open to clubs to make an offer.

"If they were speaking, I wouldn't of thought it would have been about Proctor."

* Darlington's reserve side are at home to Doncaster Rovers tonight (7pm) in a Cup match.

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