STRIKER Wilson Kneeshaw is in line make his first start since returning for a second spell with Darlington.

He rejoined his hometown club last month, four years after a brief stint, and has so far been named as a substitute three times, coming off the bench twice.

But having been impressed with Kneeshaw’s efforts, manager Tommy Wright is giving serious consideration to naming the 24-year-old in his starting XI when Quakers face Chorley tomorrow afternoon at Blackwell Meadows.

“I’ve been happy with his last couple of contributions, he has put himself in a good place,” said the manager.

“He trained well on Tuesday and whether I name him in the team is a different matter, but he has done himself no harm whatsoever. He will feel confident of getting a shirt on Saturday.”

Darlington-born Kneeshaw’s previous club was Sacramento Republic, a club in California that he spent a couple of years with before returning to the North-East.

He’s had to be patient while waiting for a chance in the starting XI, but did well when used as a substitute at home to Brackley ten days ago when Darlington lost 2-0.

“He’s been laidback about not starting because he hasn’t been playing football. He’s had a gap,” added Wright.

“He was training with Gateshead and then he came to us and we got his international clearance really quickly, which took us by surprise.

“But his last game was before New Year, and we’re into March now. He hasn’t played for a long time so he needs to build up his minutes and earn your stripes.

“I have to go off how sharp he looks in training and how he impacts games from the bench.

“He’s made positive appearances from the bench and now he’s pushing for a start.”

Kneeshaw starting would mean Wright altering the line-up from the Brackley match, a game that saw the manager substitute striker Simon Ainge and winger Alex Henshall.

Having done well when called on to play in defence, Ainge is yet to convince that playing up front is where Quakers will get the best out of him and he was booed when substituted ten days ago.

Sustaining an ankle knock early on hardly helped his performance, however, and while it meant missing a training session last Saturday he is available for selection today.

Wright said: “I brought him off because he got a knock early in the game which impacted his performance, and there was tension around the place.

“I do feel sorry for him. Whether or not they were booing him or me I don’t know, but it was the first time that has happened to him.

“I’ve seen a lot worse performances than that, but he got booed. It’s been one of them seasons for him; we’ve had injuries so he’s had to play at the back, it’s been unsettling for him.

“He needs to restore a little bit of faith for himself as much as anyone.

“Has it worked for him as a centre-forward? No. Have we given him the service? No.

“I’m a firm believer that you make your own luck and the harder you work the more likely something will end up happening for you.”

Terry Galbraith will be recalled if a calf problem has cleared up.

He suffered concussion in his last appearance against Southport a fortnight ago, but has had a muscle issue too and Wright explained: “It was his calf that we were worried about.

“Going into the Southport game, we had been worried about his calf because he had been pulled out of the two training sessions prior to it.

“So he probably needed a rest anyway, and had to have one because of the concussion. Hopefully the calf problem has cleared up now.”

Six points above the relegation zone with 11 games to play, Darlington have lingering relegation worries and hope to replicate last season’s run-in, when they won five of their last 11 matches to finish 12th.

Top-of-the-table Chorley, meanwhile, have seen their lead cut to three points having lost three of their last four matches, all to teams in the bottom half of the table.

Wright said: “This is the business end of the season, they’ve got Stockport and Spennymoor breathing down their necks.

“Sometimes it’s easier to chase than it is to be chased and leading the pack. Going into games, you’re thinking if you slip up our rivals might gain ground, so it adds pressure whereas when you’re chasing you have that hunger and you’re desperate to do your bit. There’s a psychological battle behind it.”