DARLINGTON manager Tommy Taylor last night backed his strikers to set up a dream FA Cup tie with Newcastle United.

Giant forward Barry Conlon returns from a four-match suspension for tonight's third round clash with Peterborough United, and will rekindle a bright partnership with Danny Mellanby.

The pair have not played together since Taylor took over in October, and the former Leyton Orient boss is convinced they hold enough firepower to defeat the Posh.

"I'm over the moon to have big Bazza back," said Taylor. "He has so much talent.

"It's the first time I've had Danny and Barry in the same team and I'm really looking forward to it.

"I think Danny has got something special. He is ever so bright in and around the box and causes teams problems.

"They are perhaps like Niall Quinn and Kevin Phillips. They don't have their experience but it's the same type of partnership.

"Bazza is so strong and with his aerial ability he causes defenders problems. They could be the difference for us."

Taylor knows victory will mean the clash with Newcastle will be screened live on Sky Television on January 27 and inject a possible windfall of around £300,000.

"This is a huge game," said Taylor in the knowledge that 5,000 tickets have already been snapped up.

"I have already told the lads that the Peterborough match is our semi-final.

"There is going to be a big crowd at the game and they will act as an extra man for us if they back us as we know they can.

"The players are all bubbling and I can't wait. I love matches like this and that's why football is so good."

Eighteen months ago Darlington lost agonisingly to Peterborough in the Third Division play-off final at Wembley, having been among the promotion places all season.

Keeper Andy Collett is one of the few players who played in that game and this evening he takes on Barry Fry's men for the first time since that rain-sodden night.

And what better way to avenge that defeat than by depriving their opponents of a glamour tie.

But Collett prefers to concentrate on the match as just another fixture and, indeed, admits to not giving much thought to the possibility of playing Newcastle.

"It's not really about revenge for me," he said. "It's just another game that we're going to try to win to earn the club a bit of money, and hopefully, if we get a bit of money, we might buy a player or two.

"Who we might play next doesn't come into it because we've got to beat Peterborough first.

"Being drawn to play Newcastle in the FA Cup means nothing until you've beaten the team in front of you. To play Newcastle would be good for the club, but we've got Peterborough first."

Although Darlington have lost three in a row, all away from home, and Peterborough have just beaten Port Vale and Cardiff, Collett is confident home advantage will be decisive.

He said: "They're only one division above us so they won't be massively better.

"When we're at home we feel confident, we've only let five goals in at home. If the fans get behind us that'll be a great help.

"We're struggling a bit in the League and, obviously, we're going to try to get in the play-offs, and it would be nice to go into the new stadium in the division above.

"If that doesn't happen, at least if we have a decent Cup run the fans will be over the moon to have a nice day out."

Read more about Darlington FC here.